Forest for the Trees
by hawker-748
Summary: Life goes on after the Fifth Holy Grail War. Even if you're Shirou Emiya...
1. First Meetings

Disclaimer: Fate/Stay Night is the property of Type-Moon and Geneon. They own all of it, and I won't earn a cent from writing this.

…which sometimes makes me wonder why in the HELL I do this…

C&C is welcome at hawker(underscore)748(at)hotmail(dot)com.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Fate/Stay Night:

Forest for the Trees

By: Hawker748

Chapter One: First Meetings

For Shirou Emiya, Fuyuki City would never quite feel the same way again; it had been a year since the end of the Fifth, and FINAL, Holy Grail War. After they had won, his Servant, Saber had then gone back to her own time, leaving Shirou only memories of his time with her. It had been the right thing to do; Saber hadn't belonged in this time, and Shirou didn't regret letting her go, but that didn't stop him from missing her.

Shirou had loved Saber; he'd risked his own life to save hers, something that had struck others as almost insane, the lengths he had gone to protect a Servant, beginning with the blow he'd taken from Berserker meant for her. His relationship with her had been the most intense and important of his life, and there had been times he'd found himself wishing that they could have met under normal circumstances. The thought of being able to live a normal life with Saber had entered his mind from time to time, but he'd dismissed these thoughts as unlikely flights of fancy.

Shirou continued to walk around aimlessly, an activity that made him think of the patrols that Rin Tohsaka had used to conduct with her own servant, Archer. He would never understand the man's antipathy towards him, but he'd been a good servant to Rin, and while she hadn't had romantic feelings for her Servant, Shirou knew that there were times when she missed his company. 'She knew what it would be like when it was over,' Shirou told himself. 'She didn't let herself fall in love…' He shook his head to clear it, picking up the pace of his walk, hoping that it would help calm down his turbulent thoughts.

He knew he'd never see Saber again, that she'd slipped back into the mists of time, but Shirou couldn't keep the breath from catching in his throat every time he saw a flash of blonde hair. Even a year later, he felt his heart skip a beat when he saw a woman with light hair on the sidewalk ahead of him, the familiar sensation of disappointment flooding over him when she turned to face him. As he knew it would be, it wasn't Saber, and he swore silently at himself for foolishly letting himself hope that the impossible had somehow been made real. Letting out a sigh, he walked past the woman, causing her to wonder briefly why the young man who'd brushed by her wore a look of profound sadness.

Letting his mind wander, Shirou continued to stroll with no destination in mind, absently noticing another woman struggling with a few bags of groceries. He walked by her, but his inherent good nature took over then, and he turned back and approached the struggling woman. "Excuse me ma'am," he called out. "Do you need a hand?"

"Thanks, but I'm fine," she replied tersely, gripping a bag tightly, even as it slipped through her fingers.

"Are you sure?" Shirou pressed. "I think you're going to lose one…"

"I said I'm fine!" the woman insisted. "Run along kid, I don't nee- Shit!"

Shirou saw the bag slip completely from her grasp and he quickly moved to catch it, stopping it from hitting the sidewalk at the last moment. Making sure he had a good grip on it, he stood up and noticed the woman watching with a look that was half gratitude, and half embarrassment. "…Thanks…" she murmured.

"No problem ma'am."

"That's the bag with all the jars in it. No surprise that's the one I'd drop…"

"Don't worry, I caught it," Shirou reassured her.

"I'm sorry I bit your head off kid," she apologized. "I've had a bad day, and you just wanted to help…"

"No harm done…"

The woman gave Shirou a curious look. "Wow. Who says chivalry is dead…? You think you're some kinda knight in shining armor kid?"

An image of Saber in her armor, standing proudly and wielding Excalibur, entered his mind. "No. No, I don't…"

"…Okay… Just let me have that bag back and I'll be on my way…"

"I can carry it for you ma'am." Shirou offered.

"Thanks, but I don't want to be an inconvenience…"

"There's no trouble ma'am."

The woman opened her mouth to dispute that, but simply let out a sigh. "You won't take 'no' for an answer, will you kid…?"

"No ma'am…"

"Fine," the woman relented. "But if you call me 'ma'am' again, I'll have to hurt you. I'm not that old…"

"I'm sorry ma'am… I-I mean…" Shirou stammered.

"It's Harumi."

"Okay Ms. Harumi."

"Just Harumi," she corrected. "What do I call you? Or do you like being called kid?"

"I'm Shirou Emiya."

"Okay Emiya, follow me…" Harumi told him. "It's just a few blocks."

"No problem Harumi," Shirou replied. "I can take another bag."

"Okay," she said, handing him another bag which he accepted easily. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome."

Harumi nodded at that and then started walking, Shirou falling in step behind her. They walked in silence, Harumi barely acknowledging Shirou's presence, and he was smart enough to realize that she wasn't in a talkative mood. The two of them walked for nearly a kilometer before Harumi stopped at the gate of a rather sizable home. It wasn't quite as sprawling as his own property, but Shirou figured that the home was a lot bigger than his own, with two stories, and a couple of good sized outer buildings as well.

Opening the gate Harumi gestured for Shirou to follow her, and she walked up the path to the front door, opening it without announcing her arrival, kicking off her shoes and taking the bag inside. Shirou stayed on the porch. Patiently holding the groceries until she returned after a few moments and handing them to her when she reached for them. He bowed politely and was turning to leave when she spoke.

"Shirou… Wait."

"Yes…?"

"I-I've been a bit rude," she admitted with a sheepish look. "Can I at least offer you some tea as thanks and an apology?"

"That's very kind, but you don't have to…" Shirou assured her.

"Please, I'd feel better if you did…"

"I don't think it would be appropriate…"

"Appropriate?" Harumi repeated. She then chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "Shirou…"

"Yes…?"

"If you think I'm going to offer you more than tea… You've been watching too many movies…"

Willing himself to NOT blush, as that had been exactly what he had been thinking, Shirou replied, "Not at all."

"Then get in here…"

"Yes Harumi…" Shirou removed his shoes and followed her into the house, idly noticing just how impressive a residence it was; the antique furnishings alone would be worth the cost of some houses. Rin Tohsaka and Shinji Matou's homes had both boasted an impressive collection of antiques, but Harumi's had them in staggering quantities. Shirou had realized that she was wealthy just from the size of the home, but the furnishings were simply further proof. 'Jeez, if she's THIS wealthy, why didn't she just call a cab?' he asked himself. 'Or have them delivered?'

Belatedly realizing that he was staring, and not wanting Harumi to think that he was casing the joint with the intention of robbing it later, Shirou forced himself to follow her, keeping his eyes forward. The two of them reached the kitchen, the granite countertops and stainless steel appliances merely another reminder of the opulence of the home, and Harumi put the groceries away, telling Shirou to have a seat as she put on the tea. Feeling very self conscious and out of place, Shirou tried to keep from fidgeting as he sat at the table, wondering why he hadn't simply declined the offer. 'It would have been rude to,' he admonished himself, silently answering his own question.

When the water finally boiled Harumi turned off the gas and poured the water into a pot, dropping in two tea bags and replacing the lid. "Do you mind Earl Grey?" she asked him. When he indicated that it was fine she fetched two cups and brought them and the teapot to the table. "Cream or sugar?"

"No thanks."

"That's how I take it too," Harumi told him with a faint smile. Filling the cups, she handed a steaming mug to Shirou before she brought hers to her lips, taking a small sip. "Perfect… Thank you again for your help, Emiya-kun."

"It wasn't a big deal Harumi, I'm just glad I could help."

"I'm glad you did, replacing all of those jars would be a nuisance…"

"What was in them?"

"A few different ingredients," Harumi explained. "Artichoke hearts, capers, anchovies…"

"You were making a salad?"

Harumi raised an eyebrow and looked at Shirou carefully. "Why do you ask?"

"That's what I'd use those for."

"You're a cook?"

Shirou shook his head. "I can cook, but I'm just a high school student… But I have cooked for others though."

"Your family?"

"I-I don't really have a family," Shirou admitted. "My parents were killed over a decade ago, and my adoptive father died about six years ago…"

"I-I'm sorry," Harumi apologized, not able to meet Shirou's eyes.

"Don't worry about it," Shirou replied dismissively. "I don't mind talking about it."

"Still…"

"Water under the bridge… I cook for myself and my friends. I always liked it, and I just got kinda good at it."

Appreciating the return to the original topic, Harumi asked, "Those things would only work in a salad?"

"Well, it's what I'd use them for… What did you have in mind?"

"Omelets actually…"

"Omelets? You mean like for breakfast?"

"Brunch," Harumi clarified. "Some acquaintances are coming over, and as host I'm expected to cook for them…"

Shirou found himself nodding. "Ah, cooking for people who've invited themselves over…"

"You've had to do that?"

Memories of Saber, Rin, Ilya, Sakura, and Taiga at the dinner table at various times entered Shirou's mind. "Yeah, I have…" he replied wistfully, a distant look in his eye before he returned to the present. "What kind of omelets?"

"Omelets with asparagus, diced artichoke hearts and capers, drizzled with warm garlic infused olive oil…"

Shirou let out a soft whistle. "That sounds difficult."

"It isn't," Harumi replied. "But it looks good and impresses the hell outta people. It's just an omelet with a few high end fillings…"

"I used capers in a salad once," Shirou remembered. "Ilya wouldn't eat them, said they looked funny…"

"Ilya?"

"Friend of the family. She's an elementary student, I'm her unofficial big brother."

"I see…"

"My adoptive father taught me about using artichokes in a salad," Shirou continued. "I've just used them for that ever since."

"I'll have to try that, never used them in a salad before…"

"And I'll have to try making an omelet like that," Shirou replied. "Is there anything special you have to do to make it?"

"Just blanch the asparagus first, everything else is just like a regular omelet…"

"Where do you get the garlic infused olive oil?" Shirou asked. "Do you make it yourself?"

"I buy it, it's too risky to make it, that's a good way to get botulism. There's a specialty market downtown. That's where I was coming from when we met."

"The shop next to the hobby store?"

"You know it?"

"I've been in there a few times, just to look."

"I shop there from time to time, but only when I need something overpriced and showy…" Harumi chuckled humorlessly and shook her head. "Honestly, I can't believe what they charge for some of the things in there… If I could get them at the market, I'd never go in there…"

"I've never actually bought anything there," Shirou admitted. "It's a little out of my price range…"

"Oh? Then where do you get the capers and the artichoke hearts?" Harumi wondered.

"There's a store in my neighborhood, they sometimes carry them. I buy 'em there when I can…"

"Really? What's it called?"

"Denniger's"

"I'll have to remember that," Harumi mused. "That market is just too expensive…"

Shirou wondered why someone who lived in a home as opulent as Harumi's would be concerned with the cost of a few groceries, but he didn't mention it. "Glad I could help…"

"So, what's your specialty then?"

Shirou blinked. "My specialty?"

"Your specialty," Harumi reiterated. "You said you cook, right? Everyone I know who cooks has one dish they're especially proud of. What's yours?"

Taking another sip of his tea, Shirou thought for a few minutes, trying to decide what he was most proud of, honestly never having considered this before. Saber always had a huge appetite, but she hadn't been a finicky eater, usually devouring anything placed before her. But when he reconsidered, there WAS one meal that had made a ghost of a smile appear on her graceful visage… "Teriyaki beef…" Shirou murmured. "She really liked the that…"

"What was that?"

Taking another sip of tea to try to hide the bloom he felt on his cheeks, Shirou repeated his answer. "Teriyaki beef. Everyone says I'm pretty good at that."

"Interesting choice. What's your secret?"

"It's all in the preparation…"

"What do you do?"

"You take some finely chopped garlic, a lot of it, and combine it with sea salt and coarse ground black peppercorns. You rub it into beef you've lightly brushed with olive oil before you slice it. Make sure you only cook it to rare as well"

"Rare?" Harumi goggled. "Why not just make steak tartare?"

"Anything over medium rare is a waste of good meat," Shirou countered. "Any more than that, why not just eat a belt?"

"Sorry, but I like having my meat cooked when I eat it…"

"How you cook it is personal preference. And don't forget to let the beef rest before serving."

"Rest…?"

"Cover it with foil for a few minutes, it lets the juices come back," Shirou explained. "Otherwise it'll be dry."

"I've never heard that before," Harumi admitted.

"Try it the next time you cook beef." 'Assuming there's still any juice left after you've cremated those poor cuts of meat,' Shirou added silently.

"I'll do that," Harumi assured him, tipping her mug, and refilling Shirou's when he nodded at her.

"So, what's your specialty then?" Shirou wondered.

"Blowfish," Harumi replied without hesitation.

"B-blowfish…?" Shirou whispered. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"What's life without a little risk…?"

"Longer?"

Harumi laughed out loud at that. "Haven't you ever wanted to face death…?"

Unconsciously, Shirou brought his hand to his chest, absently rubbing where Lancer had pierced his heart. "Not anymore," he murmured.

"I beg your pardon?"

Shirou shook his head. "Never mind… I… just don't feel like risking my life when I eat." 'Be stupid to survive the Grail War, only to die because of a meal…' he added silently.

"There's no risk," Harumi replied dismissively.

"Blowfish is toxic." Shirou pointed out.

"I'm serious," Harumi insisted. "My brother is an executive chef in Tokyo, he taught me how to prepare it…"

"Really…?"

"Yeah, really…"

"What's it taste like?" Shirou asked, curious in spite of himself.

"Chicken."

"…You're kidding…"

"Yeah, I am…" Harumi confirmed with a smirk. "Seriously, it's hard to describe… It is very good though…"

"It had BETTER be…"

With a thin smile, Harumi looked carefully at Shirou. "Maybe one day you'll work up the nerve to try it."

"I have plenty of nerve." Shirou replied defensively. "I just don't want to take anymore risks…"

"You wouldn't trust it even if I cooked it?"

"…I didn't say that…"

"Then it's decided," Harumi declared with a nod. "One day you'll dine on blowfish I've prepared…"

"Ummm, okay…" Shirou wondered just how he'd gotten into this.

Harumi drained her mug and set it back down on the table. "I hate to be an ungracious hostess, but it's time for you to go Emiya-kun. I have something I need to do now…"

Shirou finished his own mug. "No problem Harumi, I don't want to wear out my welcome…"

"Thanks again for all your help Emiya," Harumi told him as she followed him to the door. "I'm sorry I was so curt when you first offered to help me."

"It's no problem Harumi," Shirou assured her. "I'm not offended."

"You should be…"

"What would that accomplish?"

Harumi shook her head. "Are you for real?"

"Last time I looked."

A bemused expression came over Harumi. "I wouldn't have believed it…"

"Believed what?"

"That someone like you existed…"

"Like me…?"

"That courteous and laid back… Almost restores my faith in humanity. Almost…"

"Almost?"

"I've seen a lot," Harumi explained. "I've got a lot of inertia to counter…"

"Glad I could help, I guess…"

"Thanks, I needed it…"

"You're welcome." Shirou stopped to put on his shoes and nodded once more to Harumi. "Thank you for the tea."

"It was nothing. Thank you for your help."

"It was a pleasure."

"Take care Emiya…"

"You too Harumi."

"Who knows? Maybe we'll bump into each other again…"

"Maybe," Shirou allowed.

"Don't be a stranger if you see me again," Harumi told him.

"I won't," replied Shirou. With that, he nodded one last time I farewell and walked out of the house, strolling along the path till he reached the gate, walking through it and heading for home. As he walked he belatedly realized that he wasn't feeling as melancholy as he'd been earlier. 'I guess talking to someone once in a while isn't a bad thing…' he mused.

Shirou felt his lips curl up in a ghost of a smile as he walked, recalling the chat with Harumi; it had kind of reminded him of talking with Taiga, if she'd shown a little more maturity. Shirou loved Taiga like a big sister, but she could be exasperating at times, with a maturity level that seemed to be younger than Ilya's. It was almost refreshing to talk with someone who acted their age, most of the time.

'Nice lady,' Shirou told himself, feeling his spirits rising a little, until another woman with blonde hair came around the corner in front of him. As usual, he felt his breath catch in his throat, as the possibility of receiving his most fervent wish, even if the chance was miniscule, reared its head. The familiar pain of disappointment, and disgust at letting himself dare to hope, came crashing down on Shirou. 'I need to get over her dammit!' he admonished himself. 'Saber's not coming back, I'll never see her again… So why do I keep expecting to see her?!'

Shirou already knew the answer to that question, but it didn't make it any easier to move on. He'd let Saber go, it'd been the right choice, but it was still painful even a year later. Sighing deeply, as he usually did whenever his thoughts turned to the former King of the Britons, Shirou shook his head to clear it, quickening his pace to return home, where a hot soak waited. "Grow up Emiya," he murmured to himself. "Just move on…"

With this familiar thought in mind, Shirou continued his journey home, old memories of his time with Saber pushing out the recent recollections of the brief half hour he'd spent with Harumi.

End of Part One

Notes: This was pre-read by Random1377 and Fatuous One, both of whom have far more knowledge of Fate/Stay Night than I do…

All errors and faults are mine, not theirs.


	2. Friend in Need

Disclaimer: See Part One

C&C is welcome at hawker(underscore)748(at)hotmail(dot)com.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Fate/Stay Night:

Forest for the Trees

By: Hawker748

Chapter Two: Friend in Need

"Hey Shirou, I need a favor."

"What is it boss?" the red haired young man asked, setting down the box he'd been carrying and dusting his hands off before looking up at his employer.

"I need you to make a delivery." the middle aged man replied.

"A delivery? What happened to Akira-kun?"

Shirou's boss's face twisted into a grimace. "He just called me and told me he's quitting. Just like that, no notice or anything."

"Why?"

"I don't know, and right now I don't care… I've got a big order to fill and no one to deliver it. Would you mind doing it?"

Shirou shrugged. "That won't be a problem, I'll do it."

The look of relief on the face of the manager of 'Copenhagen' was almost comical. "Thank heavens, it's an important customer. Tell you what Emiya-kun, there are two hours left in your shift, right?" When Shirou nodded, the manager continued. "You do this, you can have the rest of the time off, paid. Just bring the hand truck back tomorrow."

"Hand truck?"

The manager nodded. "Hand truck. It's five cases, you won't be able to carry them in one trip," he explained. "It's all ready to go, the address is on the top crate… You still in?"

"I'll do it," Shirou assured him.

"Then go to the back door and get it. It's a bit of a rush, but don't drop any of 'em…"

"I'm on it."

"Good man. Thanks for doing this, and I'll see you tomorrow." The manager walked away to deal with something else, while Shirou hung up his apron and walked to the back of the store, seeing the hand truck, crates, and address waiting by the door.

Shirou checked the address and nodded to himself, finding that it was in a familiar neighborhood. He glanced at the shipping list, his eyes widening a little as he realized that they were some of the priciest items that Copenhagen carried. A single case was worth much more than he earned in a month, and there were five of them. Clearly the person ordering them, an 'H. Yazuru' according to the waybill, wasn't feeling the effects of a recession. 'Or maybe they're just in debt up to the eyeballs.'

Clearing his head of thoughts that weren't any business of his anyway, Shirou called a coworker over to hold open the door for him and headed out into the calm night, the stars just starting to come out. Pushing the laden cart as quickly as he dared, Shirou made his way down the sidewalk, the quiet squeaking of one of the wheels mixing with the occasional clink of bottles being jostled together. The pedestrians he passed paid him little notice, and he was too focused on keeping his cargo intact to think about them.

Taking a left at an intersection, Shirou looked up and was a little surprised that the street seemed familiar to him; as far as he knew he'd never been in the area before, but he had a feeling of deja-vu. When he realized why he felt that way, he looked down at the delivery slip. 'Maybe I'm wrong, she can't be the only person living on that street…' Shirou continued down the sidewalk, taking note of the house numbers, when an impressive, and familiar, house came into view. The number next to the gate matched the number on the order. 'Looks like Harumi and I will see each other again sooner than we thought.'

Opening the gate, Shirou carefully guided the hand truck down the stone path towards the front door, making sure that it was sitting stable before pressing the intercom button. "Delivery from Copenhagen!" he called out.

"Thank god you're here!" Harumi's voice replied through the speaker. "Just bring it in, I'm a little busy now…"

'What's going on?' Shirou wondered as he took off his shoes, picked up two crates and entered the house. 'She sounds a little frantic…' Guessing that she was in the kitchen, Shirou walked down the hall and entered the room, his eyes going wide at the chaos within. Harumi was dressed in a very nice evening dress, but she was scrambling between some pots on the stove, a few bowls on the counter, and a third object which he identified as a baby seat after a few seconds. "Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Just put them over… Shirou…?" Harumi remarked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Copenhagen delivery…"

"You're the delivery boy?"

"Not usually," he admitted. "Regular guy quit, I got asked to do it."

"Just put them on the counter, I'm a little busy here…"

"Yes ma'am."

"Call me 'ma'am' again and I'll hurt you." Harumi called out as Shirou went back to the door for the last three crates.

Picking up the last of the order, Shirou made his way back to the kitchen and placed them next to the first two. "Here you are ma… Harumi," he corrected himself.

In spite of her scrambling, Harumi took a second to smile. "That's better…"

"Ummm… What's going on, Harumi…?"

"I'm having company over tonight," she explained, turning her attention back to the stove. "Unfortunately, the sitter cancelled at the last minute, and her replacement hasn't arrived yet…"

"Sitter?"

"Yes, for Ho-chan…" Harumi used her head to point to the baby seat on the counter, which Shirou belatedly realized had a child in it.

Curious, Shirou walked over and took a look at the baby gurgling happily in the chair, and the baby let out a cheerful squeal when he was above her. She reached up for him, making the kind of delighted sounds that only infants are capable of making, that sound utterly ridiculous when uttered by grown ups. "H-hello, Ho-chan…"

"Her name's Hotaru," Harumi clarified. "Mirei's usually a good babysitter, but something came up so I had to scramble for a replacement." She glanced over from the stove and watched Shirou looking down at her daughter. "She seems to like you Shirou…"

"I don't know anything about kids," he replied.

"Yeah, they don't come with an instruction manual- Gah!" Harumi cried out when one of the pots began to boil over.

Shirou hurried over to Harumi's side. "What's wrong?"

"Soup keeps boiling over," she growled, hitting the offending pot with a withering glare that did nothing to stop the liquid from flowing over the side. "I'm a little over my head here, having to look after Ho-chan as well…"

Shirou didn't even hesitate. "Do you want me to help?"

Harumi looked at him curiously. "Don't you have to get back to work?"

Shirou shrugged. "Boss gave me the rest of the night off."

Shaking her head, Harumi replied, "I can't believe that people like you still exist… Can you just stir these three pots, keep them from boiling over?"

He nodded. "I can do that."

"Great, that'll give me a chance to catch up…" The two of them toiled in silence for twenty minutes, Shirou standing guard at the stove while Harumi continued to work on what appeared to be hors d'oeuvres, as well as keeping her daughter entertained. When the sitter finally arrived after thirty minutes, Harumi carried Ho-chan and a bag to the front door, returning after a few minutes. "That takes care of that… Amuro will bring her back later. I can take care of things now, you can leave now if you want."

"I can keep helping you, if it makes it easier…"

Harumi pursed her lips as she considered Shirou's offer. "I feel like I'm taking advantage of you…"

Shirou dismissed her concerns. "It's no problem, I don't mind."

"I'll pay you for your trouble-"

"I'm already being paid Harumi, there's no need…"

"But then I'll owe you."

"You won't," Shirou assured her. "I'm just doing a good deed."

"Shirou Emiya, Eagle Scout…" Harumi remarked with a wry grin. "Okay Emiya-kun, show me your skills…"

"I'll try…" They continued to work for another fifteen minutes until Harumi placed the hors d'oeuvres on a tray with a flourish, nodding in satisfaction at the results. "Is that everything?" Shirou asked.

"No, but it's the hardest part done," Harumi replied. "You can turn off the heat Shirou, they're done."

Shirou switched off the gas, the burners going off with a 'Foof!' "What do I do now?"

"Put the soup into those ramekins," Harumi directed. "Use that ladle, two in each please…"

Shirou did as he was told, filling the twelve small white ceramic containers with the thick white broth. "What is this?"

"Cream of white asparagus soup."

"Smells good."

"Try some," Harumi offered, passing him an empty bowl.

"I couldn't…"

"I insist. If you won't take money, at least try the food…"

Acquiescing to her offering, Shirou filled the bowl and after accepting a spoon from Harumi, took a taste of the soup. He blinked in surprise; for such an unremarkable looking soup, it had a surprisingly complex flavor that seemed to settle delicately on his tongue. It didn't have an overwhelming flavor, but what he would have called the perfect level. "It's good. I mean, really good…"

Smiling in appreciation of the compliment, Harumi remarked, "I'm glad you like it. Have another bowl if you want, there's plenty left over."

"Thank you."

"I should be telling you that," Harumi replied. "You really got me out of a jam here. And you even brought the order… You're a man of many talents Shirou…"

"It's nothing," he told her modestly.

"You sit down and eat, I'll put away the wine."

"I can help you with-"

"No you don't, you sit down and finish that soup," Harumi ordered.

"…yes Harumi…"

"Very good… Don't worry," she assured him. "I can handle this." She opened the first case and quickly extracted the bottles, repeating the process until all five were empty. She placed several on a tray and carried them out of the kitchen, returning after a few minutes and transferring a second load. She eventually cleared them all in six trips, coming back for the last time just as Shirou was finishing the soup. "See?" Harumi declared. "Told you I could handle it."

"I still should have helped you…"

"I KNEW you were going to say that…"

"What do I do now?"

Harumi shrugged. "There isn't much left to do. I just need to move a tray or two, and move what's in those other pots into serving bowls…"

"I'll do that for you."

"Okay," Harumi relented. "Use those bowls next to the stove."

Taking care not to spill anything, Shirou carefully poured the hot liquids into the new containers, setting the now empty pots in the sink. "It's done," he told Harumi, just seconds before the doorbell rang.

"Perfect timing," Harumi deadpanned. "That'll be my guests," she remarked, her face twisting into a grimace. "Time for another mind-numbing gathering," she murmured.

"Excuse me?"

Harumi shook her head. "Never mind Shirou, never mind. I'm having them over as a courtesy. If it was up to me…"

"I understand…"

A smile that didn't reach her eyes appeared on Harumi's face. "Time to go be a gracious hostess," she told him, showing the same reluctance of someone being walked to the electric chair. "You can have some more soup if you'd like, you don't have to leave right away…"

"Maybe one more bowl," Shirou allowed. "It's really good."

"Thanks Shirou…" This time, the smile Harumi wore was genuine. "For everything."

"You're welcome Harumi. Enjoy yourself…"

"Right…" Letting out a deep breath, Harumi turned around and walked out of the kitchen, and Shirou soon heard her greeting her guests, sounding like she was delighted to see them.

Helping himself to a second bowl of soup, Shirou sipped contentedly until it was gone. Setting down his spoon with a satisfied sigh, he looked up and for the first time noticed the amount of disarray in the kitchen. Harumi'd obviously been cooking for quite some time, and she hadn't had a chance to clean up after herself. Shirou couldn't bring himself to leave such a mess behind him. Picking up his bowl, he headed towards the sink, wondering where Harumi kept the dish soap.

XXX

Harumi let out a sigh of relief as she closed the door on the last guests to leave, a great weight lifting from her shoulders. It had been three long, excruciating hours, but it was over now, she'd reclaimed her home from the intruders. She let out a bitter chuckle at the thought of her guests as home invaders, realizing that it wasn't as much of an exaggeration as one might have thought.

'Maybe it does fit… They came here, stole my time, ate my food and left, and now I've got to go and clean everything up…' Harumi walked slowly back to the kitchen, not looking forward to facing the mess, the thought that Amuro would be bringing Ho-chan back shortly the one bright spot about the rest of her evening. Squaring her shoulders, Harumi walked into the kitchen…

…and stopped cold at the sight before her.

The kitchen was clean. Actually, 'clean' wasn't a good enough word. Spotless, immaculate, or gleaming might have fit better. It hadn't been this clean since she'd stopped using a maid service several months earlier. 'Even the maid didn't get it this clean,' she corrected herself. Harumi prided herself on keeping things tidy, but she'd never been able to get the kitchen looking like this. She heard a rustling on the floor and looked down to see Shirou wiping down the baseboards on the far side of the room. "S-Shirou…?"

"Oh!" Shirou started, clearly not noticing her arrival. "I'll be finished in a moment, there's just a stubborn stain here…"

"What are you DOING?"

"Cleaning up," Shirou replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Why?"

"The pots would have been harder to clean if they were allowed to set," he explained. "After I washed them, I felt I needed to wipe the counter. And then I noticed that the stove needed cleaning, and that the floor could use a scrub… I guess I just couldn't leave it for you."

"You cleaned the kitchen for three hours?"

"Has it been that long?" Shirou asked. "I must have lost track of time…"

"The maid used less time than that on the entire house…"

"Oh? How'd she do it?"

"Not very well," Harumi responded candidly. "I quit using the service, and started doing it myself."

"It wasn't FILTHY," Shirou clarified, feeling as if he'd inadvertently insulted Harumi. "I probably just got carried away…"

"No, you did a better job than I ever did…"

"You probably have other things to keep you busy… Why didn't you get a new maid?" Shirou asked, wanting to change the subject.

Harumi pursed her lips. "It's… not easy for me… I don't like thinking of people as servants…"

Shirou found it surprisingly easy to relate to that statement, but didn't mention it. "There's nothing wrong with that, I sometimes got exasperated when Sakura kept coming over…"

"Sakura?"

"She's an underclassman of mine. When I was ill once, she started coming over to look after me, cooking meals, cleaning up, that sort of thing," Shirou explained. "Trouble was, when I got better she kept doing it… It was nice of her, but I didn't need the help…"

"Maybe she had other motivations," Harumi told him wryly.

"Like what?"

Harumi gave Shirou a careful look, shaking her head when she realized that he was serious. "Who knows…" she replied dismissively. "Maybe she just wanted to be helpful…"

"That makes sense," Shirou allowed. "But I wasn't comfortable with her doing everything for me…"

"That's how I felt," Harumi told him, nodding in agreement. "I always took care of things growing up, and it feels strange having someone else do it for me." She looked up when the doorbell rang, her eyes lighting up. "Ho-chan's back," she declared giddily, scurrying down the hall to reclaim her daughter.

Shirou gave the baseboard a final wipe and stood up, stretching and hearing his back crack, and rinsing the cloth in the sink and returning it to where he'd found it. He glanced over and saw Harumi carrying her daughter, making some cute noises which had Hotaru squealing happily. "I've finished cleaning," he announced, taking a look around and feeling satisfied at the fruits of his labors.

"Are you sure I can't pay you?" Harumi inquired. "I'd say you did far more than you needed to…"

Shirou shook his head. "Don't worry about it, just happy to help."

"Hey, would you like to see Ho-chan?"

"Sure…" Shirou walked over and took a look at the baby girl. "She's cute…"

Harumi beamed the way only proud parents can. "Thanks. Would you like to hold her?"

"M-me…? I've never held a baby before…" Shirou admitted.

"It's not too difficult Shirou," she reassured him. "I'll show you how. Just hold out your arms…" Harumi gently eased her daughter over to Shirou. "That's good, make sure you support the head… There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No," Shirou murmured, looking down at the tiny person in his arms. Hotaru was looking up at him, her little brown eyes meeting his golden ones. It was a new and unusual experience for the young man, being an only child meant he'd never had a younger brother or sister to look after. He was worried about dropping her, or doing something else wrong, but Hotaru seemed to be enjoying herself, gurgling cheerfully and reaching for his face. "How old is she…?"

"Just over a year."

"She's adorable," Shirou told her. "You and your husband must be proud…" His eyes went wide when he saw a pained look come over Harumi. "What's wrong?"

"My husband was proud of her," she murmured. "But he died a week after she was born…"

"I-I'm sorry… I-"

Harumi shook her head sadly. "It's okay Shirou. You couldn't have known…"

"I shouldn't have pried-"

"It's okay Shirou, really," Harumi insisted. "I've… learned to live with it…"

Shirou had no idea what to say, so he continued to hold Hotaru, shifting on his feet, not sure if he should break the awkward silence. After a few minutes, Harumi broke it herself. "She seems to like you…"

"Beginners luck, I guess," Shirou murmured, relieved at the change in subject.

"I don't know, you seem to have a knack for doing that," she insisted. "It took Mirei and Amuro some time to get her quiet. She hasn't sobbed once…"

"She probably doesn't know me well enough yet…"

Harumi couldn't help from chuckling at Shirou's self-derision. "Want me to take her back?"

"She's yours, you don't have to ask…"

Taking her daughter back, Harumi said to him, "Let me put her to bed and I'll make tea. At least accept that…"

"Okay." Shirou took a seat and waited while Harumi took Hotaru away. He let his eyes wander over the kitchen, making sure he hadn't missed anything in his clean up, until the widow returned and started making tea.

"She's sleeping like an angel, thanks again for cleaning up."

"You're welcome," he responded, accepting a cup of tea with a nod. "Sorry about what I said earlier…"

"It's nothing unusual Shirou, you didn't know…"

"Still feel bad about it though…"

"You shouldn't." A distant look came over Harumi as she found herself recalling the past. "It could have been worse… At least the last time I saw him was a good memory. He had breakfast with us, kissed us both goodbye, and left for the office. He was a CEO, and he wanted to take care of a few details at work; he was planning on taking some time off to be with us. He got to his office, started on some paperwork, and had an aneurysm," Harumi told Shirou matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry."

"Doctors say he died instantly, he didn't suffer, and he was happy in his last few hours. That's some consolation at least…" Harumi sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose before she looked at Shirou, a tired look around her eyes. "Do you have any idea what it's like to lose someone who's important to you…?"

Shirou didn't reply at first, debating whether or not to answer. Deciding that Harumi had been honest with him and deserved the same in return, he started to speak. "I-I do, actually…"

"Who did you lose…?"

"Well," Shirou began. "My mother and father were killed in the fire. I still don't know how I survived…"

"You were the boy who lived through that? I remember hearing about you… It was hard to believe."

"It was. The man who found me eventually adopted me. I lived with him until he died about seven years ago…"

Harumi looked uncomfortable now. "You-you've seen your share of loss…"

Shirou shook his head sadly. "I'm not finished yet either…" He looked up at Harumi, a contrite expression coming over him. "I'm sorry, I feel like I'm trying to one up you… I'm not trying to make light of your loss…"

"It's okay Shirou, no offence taken. Keep going, please…" Harumi gently urged.

"And about a year ago, someone important entered my life," Shirou murmured, his eyes getting a distant look as he thought again about Saber. "We were together only for a while, but…"

"You loved her, right?" Harumi prodded when Shirou couldn't make himself continue.

"Yes… I loved her…"

"What happened…?"

Shirou took a sip of his tea to moisten his dry mouth and take the time to think of the best way to answer. He wasn't about to explain the Holy Grail War to Harumi, he still worked to keep it a secret, and besides, unless they'd been part of it, who would believe it? If he hadn't had endured the experience, Shirou would have taken the tale to be pure fantasy. Only his lingering feelings for Saber, and the presence of Ilya kept him from thinking that the whole memory wasn't simply a vivid fever dream.

"S-, I mean, Arturia," Shirou corrected himself, using Saber's real name, not wanting to raise suspicions by using her title. "She came to Fuyuki City to… take care of something that was very precious to her. I-I ended up getting involved and helping her. We-we got closer, but when it was over…"

"Yes…?" Harumi prompted.

"She had to leave… And after she… went back to where she came from, she died…" Shirou let out a shuddering breath, the memory painful even with the passage of time. "She told me she loved me just before she left too… She couldn't have stayed, she did have to leave, but that doesn't make it any easier…"

Neither spoke for a while, each of them reminiscing over their past, before Harumi softly murmured, "You-you do know what it's like to lose someone…"

"Yeah…"

"I'm sorry for what you've had to endure Shirou…"

He shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry about," he told her with a shake of his head. "It's just part of who I am, I've had to learn to live with it…"

"Seems wrong for someone as young as you to have seen so much pain…"

"You're too young for that kind of sadness too…"

Harumi smiled sadly. "Any age is too young…"

"True…" Shirou finished his tea and set the mug back onto the table. "Thanks for the soup and the tea. I'd better let you get some rest…"

"Okay… Thanks again for everything."

"It was nothing… Anytime…"

"Who knows?" Harumi replied with a smirk. "I may hold you to that… C'mon, I'll see you out."

Shirou made his way to the front door, Harumi walking beside him. Pausing to put on his shoes and pick up the now empty hand truck, he bowed politely in farewell. "Take care Harumi, and say hello to Ho-chan for me..."

"You take care yourself, Shirou," she told him. "Hey, do you want the recipe for that soup?"

"Yes, please. It was delicious…"

"Come back in a few days, I'll have it ready…"

"Thanks, I'll do that."

Harumi gave him a half smile. "Be seeing you Shirou…"

Shirou returned it. "Until then…" he then turned and walked back into the night, smiling contentedly at the pleasant evening. Reaching the gate, Shirou walked through and closed it, setting the cart on the sidewalk and pulling it behind him as he headed for home. He didn't realize it, but he was smiling more warmly than he had done for over a year.

End of Part Two

Notes: This was pre-read by Random1377 and Fatuous One. Thanks again you two. The tab's getting long…


	3. Connections

Disclaimer: See Part One

C&C is welcome at hawker(underscore)748(at)hotmail(dot)com.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Fate/Stay Night:

Forest for the Trees

By: Hawker748

Chapter Three: Connections

Shirou walked down the sidewalk, absently weaving his way through the other pedestrians, heading towards Harumi's home, a couple of his favorite recipes tucked into his back pocket. It had been two days since he'd made a delivery from Copenhagen to her home and ended up helping her prepare a dinner party and cleaning up afterwards. She'd even given him some food, an excellent asparagus soup, and had invited him back to get the recipe. Since she was going to give it to him, Shirou felt that it would be only proper of him to bring a few recipes in return.

'I hope I'm not coming at a bad time,' Shirou worried to himself as Harumi's impressive home came into view. 'She didn't say when to come over, and I don't know her number, so I couldn't call… It'd be a shame to come all this way for nothing.' Pausing at the gate, Shirou mentally debated whether or not to go ahead before deciding that it'd be foolish to turn back after coming this far. Opening the gate, he walked down the path towards the house, pausing briefly to take in the impressive grounds, before reaching the door and pushing the doorbell.

The intercom over the doorbell crackled to life. "Who is it?" Harumi's staticy, disembodied voice called out.

"Uhh… Shirou Emiya," he replied, wondering if he should be pressing a button, and feeling rather put on the spot. "I helped you a few days ago? With a dinner?"

"Shirou!" Harumi sounded pleased, even through the static. "Hold on, I'll be right there…"

"Okay…" Shirou waited for her to arrive, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes darting around until he heard footsteps on the other side of the door, the lock being disengaged with a click.

"It's nice to see you again Shirou," Harumi told him with a warm smile as she opened the door. "I was wondering when you'd show up…"

"Hello Harumi," Shirou greeted her. "I wasn't sure it was a good time, I didn't want to be a bother."

"It's nothing," she remarked with a dismissive wave. "Come in, come in, I'll put on some tea…"

"If it's not a problem…"

"No problem at all," she reassured him, gesturing for him to follow her.

"Okay." Shirou allowed Harumi to lead him into her home, taking off his shoes and following her into the kitchen, idly noticing that it was now much more orderly than the last time he'd seen it. In the center of the table Hotaru was sitting in a baby seat, playing with a rattle and gurgling happily.

"Would you like Earl Grey tea?"

Shirou nodded. "That's fine."

"No cream or sugar, right?"

"Right."

"Same here…" Harumi filled a kettle with water and took two cups from the cupboard and placed a tea bag in each. Nodding in satisfaction, she opened a drawer and pulled out a file card. "Here's the recipe for the soup. Had to find it again, I haven't looked at the recipe in years…" She walked over and handed it to him.

"Thank you," Shirou replied. "Here, I brought these…" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his own cards. "These are for you." He extended them out to Harumi.

"What are these?"

"Some of my favorite recipes."

"Oh? What for?"

"You're giving me the soup recipe, I felt I should give you something back…" Shirou explained.

"You didn't have to, but that's sweet of you…" Harumi accepted the offered cards and began to flip through them, giving each a quick look. "These look good…"

"I got some from Sakura, made one up on my own, and got one from watching a cooking show…"

"You watch cooking shows?"

"Once in a while," Shirou admitted, feeling a little guilty. "Sometimes it's hard to decide what to cook…"

Harumi nodded in agreement. "I know, I've never been very good at planning meals."

"You seemed to do alright for the party…"

Harumi gave a little shrug. "You have no idea how long it took for me to plan that…"

"Really?" Shirou replied. "Well, I think you did a good job…"

A smile appeared on Harumi's features. "Thanks…" She returned her gaze to the recipes Shirou had given her. "Maybe I'll use some of these the next time I have people over… Can you double these recipes?"

Shirou recalled having to feed Saber, Rin, Sakura, Taiga and himself, his Servant and teacher having particularly voracious appetites. "Yeah, you'll be able to make a lot with them…"

Harumi recognized the sound of experience. "You've had to feed a lot of mouths, haven't you…"

"Yeah… How many were at your dinner?"

"A dozen…"

"I didn't have that many," Shirou allowed, "but some of them ate more than others…"

"I know all about that. Yet it's the hosts fault if there's not enough food, doesn't matter if some of the guests are bottomless pits…" Harumi grumbled.

"That's right," Shirou agreed, recalling having to feed both Taiga and Saber. "They show up, eat your food, don't pay for it, and then comment on the quality. Heaven forbid they even think of helping out with the cooking, or even bringing anything themselves…" He let out a chuckle at his words.

"Next time someone complains about something I prepare, I'm gonna hand them a bill," Harumi vowed.

Shirou smiled at the thought, briefly enjoying a mental image of the look on Taiga or Rin's faces as he handed them a bill for what they'd eaten. Chuckling, he shook his head, realizing that he didn't have the heart to do it, and that Fuji-nee and Tohsaka would never pay up. 'Taiga would say it was part of being my guardian, and Tohsaka… She'd probably just challenge me or something, and I'd probably end up owing her…' he told himself. 'But it's fun to think about.'

For a few minutes the two of them sipped their tea in a comfortable silence, Hotaru's cheerful gurgling and rattle the only sounds. Harumi's daughter then dropped her rattle and it rolled towards Shirou, and she started sniffling, a clear warning that crying was imminent. Picking up the rattle, Shirou held it in front of her and shook it, leaning over her and making funny faces. Hotaru let out a delighted squeal and reached for her toy, a smile on her tiny face. When she had a firm grip on it again Shirou stuck out his tongue at her and sat back down, noticing Harumi giving him a thoughtful look. "Harumi?"

"Yes Shirou?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You're staring."

"Sorry, I was just… thinking about something…"

"Did-did I do something wrong?" Shirou wondered, suddenly feeling very self conscious.

"Not at all…" Harumi reassured him. "Would you like to hold her again?"

"Hotaru?"

"No, the cat," Harumi snarked, rolling her eyes. "Of course I meant Hotaru…"

"You'll let me?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't," Harumi pointed out.

Shirou couldn't argue with that. "Okay." He stood up again and carefully reached out to take hold of the baby girl, making sure he had a firm grip but not so tight as to hurt her. Gingerly, he lifted her up and held her in his arms, breathing easier when Hotaru continued to play with the rattle and squeal happily. Shirou smiled, finding the sight completely adorable and insuring that she wasn't going to try to get away.

"You're pretty good at that," Harumi told him. "You sure you don't have any kids of your own?"

"Yes."

"You certain?" Harumi teased, smiling when Shirou blushed. "A handsome young man like you?"

"Quite sure," he replied seriously.

"Then how come you're so good with Ho-chan?"

"Just lucky, I guess…"

"Or you've got a knack for it…"

"Never tried it before." Ilya was the youngest girl that Shirou knew. In appearance anyway. But even she was too old to be held like this. 'She probably wouldn't mind though.'

Shirou started swaying slightly, trying to gently rock Hotaru, remembering what he'd seen some parents do with their children. Looking down into her tiny face he noticed something. "She's got your eyes."

Harumi smiled. "Everyone says that."

Shirou began to slowly spin around. "She's got your laugh too."

"No one's said that before…"

"And she's got my nose…"

Harumi blinked. "I don't think that's possible Shirou…"

"No, I mean she's got my nose…" Shirou turned back around to show that Hotaru had reached up and grabbed him when he'd lowered his head. "Good grip too." He pulled his head back until the little girl was forced to let go and she kept reaching up, trying to reclaim her newest discovery.

Watching the proceedings Harumi nodded to herself before addressing Shirou. "Emiya-kun, I have a proposal for you…"

"Oh?"

"How'd you like a job?"

Shirou blinked uncomprehendingly. "Doing what?"

"Babysitting Ho-chan…"

"M-me? Babysitting? I've never done that," Shirou replied. "I don't know anything about kids, and-and don't you already have one?"

"I have two actually," Harumi clarified. "Mirei and Amuro are both good with her, don't get me wrong, but I think you'd be a better choice…"

"Why?"

"You look like you're good with kids," Harumi explained. "Ho-chan seems to like you, she hasn't cried once when you've held her, it took a while for her to get used to Mirei and Amuro, and most importantly, you seem more responsible."

"Responsible?"

"You're older than they are, and you seem wise beyond your years," she told him. "And besides, they're always heading off for swim tournaments, so they're not always available…"

"But I've never done it before…"

"There's a first time for everything Shirou," Harumi reminded him. "Look, I'm not asking you to do it for free, I'll pay you for your time."

"I've never changed a diaper before," Shirou admitted. "Or given a bottle, or any of those things."

"I figured that. So I'll show you how to do all that. Look Shirou," Harumi reasoned. "I wouldn't have asked you if I didn't think you could do it. I think you'll do fine. If I'm wrong? Well, I won't ask you to do it again. But would you think it over?"

"If you think I can, then I'll try," Shirou relented after a few moments of pondering it.

"Great! Now it's time for you to learn the art of changing a diaper…" Harumi got up and walked over to a bag, bringing it to the table. "Don't get intimidated, there's really nothing to it…"

'I don't know about that,' Shirou thought to himself, images of what babies could produce dancing through his head. Forcing himself to stay focused he asked, "What's first?"

For the next hour, Harumi gave a dissertation on how to change and clean babies, then moving on to feeding and playing, before finishing off with what he should do if something unexpected happened. "Do you have any questions?" she finished.

Shirou wondered for a second if his eyes were swirling. "I-I don't THINK so…" he murmured.

Harumi nodded in understanding. "I know, I know, it seems like a lot… It really isn't so difficult, a lot of it's common sense. I know I was nervous when I brought Ho-chan home for the first time." She shrugged her shoulders. "You just learn to do it."

"Okay."

"Oh! I'm sorry Shirou, I must be scaring you to death…"

"Not really…"

"God, I must sound like an overprotective parent… I'm just asking you to babysit, not adopt her. I didn't give Mirei or Amuro this speech, I shouldn't be giving it to you…"

"It's okay, I don't know that much…"

"I'm going to end up scaring you off if I keep that up," Harumi sighed with a shake of her head. "Do you want to try spending an hour or so with her? If you don't, that's okay."

"I'll give it a try."

"I'm glad to hear that," Harumi replied with a smile. "If you find that it's too much, then don't worry about it."

"No, I think I'll be able to handle it. What should I do with her?"

"Why don't you take her to the park?"

"The park?"

"You know, the place with lots of trees, grass, and sidewalks," Harumi deadpanned. "You can use the stroller…"

"You're just going to let me take her? You barely know me…"

"I know that you seem to be good with Ho-chan," Harumi reinstated. "I also know your name and where you work. If I'm that wrong about the kind of person you are, well, I'll make sure you pay for it," she told him frankly.

She'd smiled when she'd said that, but Shirou had clearly seen the warning in Harumi's eyes. For a second it reminded him of how Saber had looked when she was preparing for battle. It made him recall hearing that there was nothing more fierce than a mother defending her children "I-I'll have her back in an hour," he promised.

"An hour and a half is fine," Harumi told him with a genuine smile. "Should be enough time to see if she's too much… Wait here, I'll get the stroller." She walked out of the room, leaving Shirou alone with Hotaru.

"So… It's gonna be just you and me, huh?" Shirou murmured, giving Hotaru a nervous wave and smile. She gurgled happily at him and shook her rattle back at him, trying to return the gesture. 'She is cute,' he thought to himself, 'But am I up to this? All I planned to do was give her a few recipes.' He began reviewing what Harumi had told him, trying to anticipate possible problems, before giving up and deciding to see what happened first. 'I wasn't this nervous going up against Gilgamesh.'

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Harumi called out as she returned to the kitchen with the stroller. "It was under a bunch of stuff…"

"No rush, we weren't going anywhere."

Harumi unfolded the stroller and showed Shirou how to secure Hotaru in it and take her out. When her daughter was secured, with a clean diaper and a bottle of formula stored in the back, Harumi walked with Shirou to the front door. "She likes the park, so she'll probably be well behaved. If you have something come up, don't hesitate to come back… In fact, wait a second." Harumi picked up a pen and wrote on a sticky note before handing the paper to Shirou. "That's my number. If there's a real problem, call me."

"Okay."

Harumi knelt down and gave her daughter a kiss, placing a white hat on her head. "Be good for Uncle Shirou, okay Ho-chan?"

"Uncle Shirou…?"

"I think it suits you," Harumi commented. "Good luck! Have fun!"

"I'll try. Thanks. See you later." Shirou lowered the stroller to the path and pushed it along, exiting the gate and heading down the sidewalk towards the park. He walked slowly, wondering if there was a correct speed for this type of thing, and making sure that he didn't run over any cracks or holes in the sidewalk. "This thing doesn't have any shocks, does it?" he murmured. "You'll tell me if I'm going too fast, right Ho-chan?" When she simply continued to gurgle, he chuckled. "Sorry Ho-chan, I left my baby talk dictionary at home…"

Hotaru let out what sounded suspiciously like a giggle, and for a moment Shirou wondered if she'd been able to understand him.

Shaking his head at the absurdity of that notion, Shirou continued to guide the stroller along the sidewalk, noticing all the looks that Hotaru was getting. 'She really is a cute little girl,' he reminded himself. 'How could anyone not think she was adorable?'

"What a darling little girl!" a voice called out, breaking into Shirou's thoughts. "Is she yours?"

Shirou looked up and saw a middle aged woman gazing at Hotaru, little hearts practically fluttering around her head. "No, I'm just looking after her…"

"You're her brother?"

Shirou shook his head. "Nope. I'm just a babysitter…"

"I've never met a male babysitter before…"

"Really? I-I didn't know I wasn't supposed to be one…"

Chuckling, the woman shook her head ruefully. "It's not a bad thing, in fact it's nice to see a boy who's secure enough to do it."

"Thanks…"

"You take care of her, okay?" the woman continued, missing the uncomfortable look on Shirou's face.

"I will…"

"See you around angel, and your big brother too." The woman walked away, leaving a speechless Shirou in her wake.

"Big brother?" he murmured. "That's as bad as 'Uncle Shirou…'" Sighing, Shirou continued walking to the park, passing through the entrance gates and heading down a random path. The peace and quiet started to relax him, and he slowed his pace as the stress and tension began to ebb away. He heard Hotaru continue to gurgle contentedly and he smiled; at least she wasn't feeling uneasy about anything so far. He was still feeling unsure of himself, and Shirou used any positive he could to try to reassure himself that he wasn't endangering this child.

Seeing a park bench in the shade of a large tree, Shirou decided to sit down for a while and let the both of them take in the peaceful surroundings. Positioning the stroller so Hotaru wasn't in direct sunlight; (Harumi had hammered home the knowledge of how sensitive babies were to UV rays); Shirou sat down on the bench and watched Ho-chan play with her rattle, sticking his tongue out and making funny faces at her.

"Emiya? What on EARTH are you doing?!"

Shirou blinked. That voice… It couldn't be… "Tohsaka…?" He looked up and his eyes gazed into the blue eyes of Rin Tohsaka, his ally in the Holy Grail War. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in London…"

"Nice to see you too, Emiya," she replied glibly. "I come back for a visit and this is how you greet me. I should have stayed in Europe…"

"I didn't know-"

"And what are you doing with that baby?" Rin demanded. "Your love child with Sakura?"

"No!" Shirou yelped. "It's not mine!"

"Not yours…? So you've resorted to kidnapping for ransom to make ends meet?" Rin pressed. "You should have just told me if you needed money that bad, I would have given you a loan…"

"That-that's not why I've got her-"

"Abduction for the thrill?" Rin shook her head sadly. "And to think, you used to want to be a Hero of Justice…"

"Dammit, I'm babysitting her!" Shirou snapped, not liking the way some of the passersby were looking at him.

"I figured as much," Rin finally relented. "I just never expected to see you with a baby, that's all…"

"It's nice to see you again Tohsaka," Shirou greeted her properly now that things had calmed back down. "When did you get back?"

"Late last night," she told him. "I've got a week's break, and I was a little homesick."

"You'll only be here a week?"

"Less than that actually," Rin admitted. "Only another day, then I'm acting as a guide for some friends from England."

"Two days? Why come back at all then?"

Rin shrugged. "I told you, I was homesick… When you're gone, you'd be surprised at what you miss…"

Shirou nodded sagely at that. "I can imagine…" He might have said more, but Hotaru started crying. "Ho-chan? Ho-chan, what's wrong?"

Rin gave him a funny look. "You really aren't expecting her to answer, are you?"

"Umm, no…" Shirou replied, trying not to blush. He reached down and picked up Hotaru, making shushing sounds as he held her against his chest. When he moved his hand to cradle her, Shirou's face twisted in a grimace. "Uh-oh…"

"What's wrong…?"

Shirou gave Rin a sickly smile. "Hotaru's diaper needs changing."

Rin recoiled. "W-what are you gonna do about it?"

"Change it," Shirou told her without enthusiasm.

"You? Here? Now?"

"Yeah."

"We're outside, in a park!"

"Doesn't matter, she needs changing." Setting the crying Hotaru down, Shirou pulled out the diaper bag, taking one out along with a container of wipes, a bottle of baby lotion and a changing mat. Unfolding the mat on the bench, Shirou ran through the steps in his mind, not wanting to miss anything. He set Hotaru down on the mat and undid the diaper.

"Gah!" Rin shrank back in open disgust, her nose wrinkling and turning her head to look away. "How can something so cute do THAT?!"

"No idea," Shirou murmured, breathing through his mouth, trying to hold his breath as he gingerly pulled away the diaper, not wanting to get any of the… STUFF… that was in it on his hands. Carefully rolling Hotaru over, Shirou took a handful of wipes and started to clean away the mess, wanting to hurry up and finish, but reluctantly taking the time to make sure he did it properly. With painstaking care, he cleaned the young girl up, remembering Harumi telling him to be gentle. Satisfied that Hotaru was now clean, Shirou spread some lotion over her bare bottom, the pleasant scent helping chase away the lingering stench.

Taking the new diaper, Shirou opened it up and gently placed Hotaru on it looking up at him, seeming to wave her tiny little arms, as if trying to tell him to hurry up. He folded up the middle flap and brought the two sides up and stuck them to the front, finishing the diaper change. Letting out a long, audible sigh of relief, Shirou smiled when Hotaru brought her hands together and squealed. It almost looked like she was applauding his efforts.

"Nice work Shirou," Rin interjected with an appreciative whistle. "Where did you learn that?" she asked, clearly impressed.

"Her mom explained it to me."

"That was your first time?" Rin asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

"Maybe you've got a gift," Rin pondered. "You just seem to pick things up fast…" she explained as Shirou returned Hotaru to her stroller and packed away the diaper bag. Her gaze fell to the soiled diaper, eyeing it like it was an unexploded grenade. "Wh-what are you going to do with that…?"

"Get rid of it. Carefully." Shirou murmured. Taking a small bag out of the diaper bag, Shirou shook it open and gingerly picked up the diaper, carefully slipping it into the bag. Letting out a sigh of relief when it dropped completely in, he picked up the used wipes in a bunch and put them in the bag, twisting it and tying it off. With a relieved look, Shirou tossed the sack into the trash, dropping it in dead center.

"Nice shot," Rin remarked, nodding at his accomplishment.

Shirou let out a titanic sigh and seemed to slump with relief. "That was scary…"

"It couldn't have been that bad…"

"Oh? Then why didn't you help?"

Rin scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "I-I wouldn't want you shirking your duties… Hey, what's her name anyway?" she asked in an unsubtle attempt to change the subject.

"Hotaru. Hotaru Yazuru…"

Rin's eyes went wide. "You mean Mr. and Mrs. Yazuru's child? The richest family in Fuyuki City? THAT Hotaru?"

"I guess," Shirou admitted. "Harumi does have a nice home."

"Windsor Castle's NICE, Shirou," Rin snarked. "Their home's opulent. How did you get that job?"

"I helped Harumi carry some groceries."

"She was carrying groceries?" Rin wondered in open disbelief. "Doesn't she have someone to do that?"

Shirou shrugged. "She told me she likes to do it herself."

"Jeez, you'd think her husband would at least be a gentleman and do it for her…" Rin noticed Shirou's face darkening. "What did I say?"

"She's a widow, her husband died a week after Hotaru was born."

Rin flinched, feeling like a complete idiot. "I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't know…"

"It's okay, I made the same mistake."

"I can't believe I didn't know… my family sent them a card and flowers when Hotaru was born…"

An awkward silence reigned for a few minutes as Rin watched Shirou playing with Hotaru. "So why'd she ask you?" she wondered. "You said you've never looked after a kid before…"

"Harumi said I seemed to be good with Ho-chan," he explained. "The night I helped her with a dinner party-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up Shirou. What did you do at her dinner party?"

"I delivered some wine from Copenhagen, and I ended up helping her. Cooking, cleaning, no big deal…"

Rin shook her head. Only Shirou would say it was no big deal. "So you got promoted to baby sitter… That's quite a jump…"

"I might not," he pointed out. "If she's unhappy with my job today, I guess that's it."

Rin watched Shirou entertain Hotaru. "Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry."

"I hope you're right, Ho-chan's cute."

"So… That's why you're doing this?"

"She asked. Why else would I be doing it?" Shirou asked, looking confused.

"It's nothing," Rin replied dismissively. "Listen, I'm going to be coming back in about a year for a few months. Do-do you want to have dinner together, or something?"

"I'd like that…" Shirou replied after a brief pause.

Rin smiled beatifically. "I'll look forward to that," she whispered. "I've got to go now, see you around Shirou. And you too Ho-chan…" She stuck out her tongue at the little girl, who let out a delighted giggle. "I'll keep in touch Shirou…" Rin purred.

"Take care Tohsaka."

"Rin."

"Huh?"

"Call me Rin…"

"Okay. Take care To- Rin." Shirou watched her walk away, idly curious why she was moving so oddly. He glanced at his phone. "Time flies… Time to go see mommy Ho-chan." Shirou stood up, stretching and hearing his back crackle in response. Taking hold of the stroller, Shirou walked briskly back to Harumi's, half expecting her to be waiting by the gate. As it turned out, she'd been waiting in the entrance, yanking the door open before the bell finished ringing, a look of relief coming over her as she saw her daughter.

"Welcome back Shirou."

"Thanks."

"Were there any problems?"

"Nope, just had to change her diaper."

"How did that go?"

"It was… an experience."

"Isn't it?" Harumi nodded in agreement. "Do you think you could do it again?"

"I think so."

"How about tomorrow night?"

"I'm free."

"Can you be here at seven?"

"Sure."

"Great! I'll be at a fundraiser until about midnight…" Harumi paused. "I'm sorry, is that too long?"

"No, that's fine," Shirou assured her.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

Shirou took that as his cue to leave. "See you then. Thanks for the recipe."

"You too." Shirou was tuning to leave when Harumi snapped her fingers. "Wait Shirou, give me your number…"

"Why?"

"If things change, I'll be able to let you know." She took another sticky note and copied his number on it. "If something comes up for you, call me…"

"I will," Shirou promised. "See you." He turned and walked away, listening to Harumi play with her daughter.

"Good girl Ho-chan, you behaved for Uncle Shirou…"

Shirou chuckled at that, making his way to the sidewalk and heading for home. As he made his way through Fuyuki City, Shirou found himself drawn to a toy shop. He walked in, his eyes falling on a stuffed lion; it was the same as the one that Saber had made googly eyes at over a year ago. "Hotaru might like that…" he murmured.

Giving in to his impulse, Shirou bought the toy, reminding himself to give it to Hotaru the next night. As he exited the store and headed for home, Shirou could feel that he was smiling.

End of Part Three

Notes: This was pre-read by Random1377 and Fatuous One.

Random also suggested this…

Omake:

Harumi paced by her door, glancing at the clock every few seconds, anxiously wringing her hands. She'd been certain that giving her daughter to Shirou to look after had been a good idea, but that was before he'd taken her. Now she was gripped by worry that she'd misread him, that he was some kind of pedophile or something. 'I can't BELIEVE I was so stupid, letting him take Ho-chan. I KNEW I should have had a private eye look into his past.'

She'd told Shirou he could be gone for ninety minutes, but Harumi hadn't gone two minutes without starting to worry. Eighty minutes had gone by and she was nearly hysterical. The second the ninety minutes were up she would be calling the police. Nightmarish images of something horrible happening to her daughter flicked through her mind until the doorbell rang.

Practically teleporting to the door, Harumi threw it open and nearly went limp with relief at the sight of Shirou standing with the stroller. But when she took a second look, she noticed that something was a little off. Shirou's clothes were torn in several places, there were cuts all over him, and he looked like he'd been through hell. "W-what happened Shirou?" she whispered.

He shrugged. "Nothing much, just had a few mishaps."

"Mishaps…?"

"The pack of feral cats wasn't a big deal," Shirou calmly explained. "The rabid wolves were a little more trouble -I didn't know there were wolves living around here, did you?- but the rattlesnakes had me worried for a bit…"

"R-rattlesnakes…?"

"Must have escaped from the zoo. Maybe they tried to keep them in cages," Shirou pondered. "But it wasn't until the dragon showed up-"

"How could you Shirou?! Drinking while looking after my daughter…"

"I wasn't drinking," he replied sincerely.

Harumi blanched as she realized something. "Ho-chan! Is she okay? If you let her get hurt I'll-"

"She's fine," Shirou assured the distraught mother, reaching into the stroller and lifting a bundle.

Harumi paused. Her daughter hadn't clanked when she'd left. Taking the bundle from the young man, Harumi nearly dropped it as it was heaver than she'd expected. "What the-?" She opened the bundle to find: "A-armor?!" She lifted the faceplate to find her daughters smiling face staring up at her.

"Like I said, there wasn't any real trouble," Shirou told her with a nod.

"W-what do you-?" Harumi broke off when a large shape in the sky grabbed her attention. It was the largest bird she'd ever seen.

Shirou followed her gaze up and let out a sigh. "Dammit, the roc's back…"

"Roc? That's not a bird, that's a B-52 with a beak!"

"Take Ho-chan inside, I'll deal with this," Shirou told Harumi, pulling two swords out of thin air.

"Wait!" Harumi cried out. "You don't think THIS is strange?!"

"Not really…" Shirou turned back to the diving bird and let out a battle cry as he charged.

Dashing inside and sitting down, Harumi listened to the sounds of the battle outside. "Well, he is good at looking after you, Ho-chan," she told her daughter. "I guess he'll do. Now, let's go to the kitchen and see if I can use a can opener to get you out of this…"


	4. Realizations

Disclaimer: See Part One

C&C is welcome at hawker(underscore)748(at)hotmail(dot)com.

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

Fate/Stay Night:

Forest for the Trees

By: Hawker748

Chapter Four: Realizations

"Ho-chan isn't running you ragged, is she Shirou?" Harumi called out from the other room.

"Nope. She still hasn't mastered walking yet," Shirou replied, holding Hotaru's hands as she took another hesitant step. "Though she's getting close…" Hotaru had just started to crawl when Shirou had first accepted the job of babysitting her, and after six months she was on the verge of being able to walk. She still wasn't quite there, and Shirou caught her as she fell forward, scooping her up and carrying her to the sofa before setting her down.

Thwarted yet again in her wish to be able to walk around, Hotaru's lower lip trembled, and she started to sniffle miserably. Seeing this, Shirou reached over and picked up the stuffed lion he'd given her. "Look Ho-chan, it's Saber-chan… You can't cry when she's around, right?"

The little girl's eyes lit up at the sight of her favorite toy and she reached for it. "Seebaa…" she squealed impatiently, shifting forward to crawl at the stuffed lion when Shirou didn't hand it over promptly.

Smiling, but feeling another twinge of melancholy, Shirou gave Hotaru her toy and watched her hug it securely. 'Why did I give it the name 'Saber?' he asked himself for the umpteenth time. He hadn't intended to, the name had simply slipped from his lips when Harumi had asked what the doll's name was. She'd given him a funny look, clearly surprised by his choice, but Hotaru had immediately made a noise that sounded like 'Saber,' and that was all it had taken.

As Shirou watched Hotaru play with the lion plushie, her mother entered the living room, slipping a diamond earring into her left ear. "Where did you find it Shirou?" she asked. "She's never played with anything as much as that."

"A toy store near my house," he replied. "Was thinking of Ho-chan when I went in there, saw the lion, and something clicked."

"You've got good instincts," Harumi told him. "She won't go to bed without it now, and she doesn't stop whimpering when I have to wash it." She glanced in the mirror to make sure her earrings were in properly, patting down a stray brown hair and nodded, turning back to Shirou. Her shoulder length hair was styled up behind her head, allowing the string of pearls she was wearing to highlight her graceful neck. With a hint of dark eye shadow over her hazel eyes and a light application of lipstick, she looked like she was ready to go out.

Her expression told another story however; she looked as thrilled to be leaving as finding out that she had to undergo extensive dental surgery. Shirou had seen this look often, and tried the usual encouragements to lift her spirits. "You look good Harumi, and the food's always excellent at these gatherings. You'll be able to see some of your friends as well."

Harumi rolled her eyes and left out a derisive snort. "You wanna go in my place then?"

"I don't know these people Harumi," Shirou replied. "Besides, I have to watch Ho-chan."

"I think I'm getting the short end of the stick tonight." Harumi let out an exasperated sigh before she squared her shoulders, steeling herself for the nights activities. "Another night of having to be the Yazuru widow… Having to smile at people I hardly know, making polite conversation with my husbands old business partners, when I'd rather stay home with my daughter…"

"Then why don't you?"

Harumi gave Shirou a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Social obligations," she murmured. "I'm expected to attend. I'll lose face if I don't…"

"Is it really that important?" Shirou wondered.

"Yoshi thought so," Harumi replied. "He never really enjoyed these little gatherings either, but they were part of his job." Taking a last look in the mirror and satisfied that she looked presentable enough, Harumi took a wrap from a hanger and draped it over her shoulders. "Do you have everything you need Shirou?" she asked yet again.

"Yes Harumi," he replied for the countless time. Hotaru's mother tended to fret over every little detail before she left, but Shirou figured that this was normal for a mom leaving her child behind. "There's plenty of food for her in the fridge, I've got some books to read to her, and a couple of kids DVD's… And if there's a problem, I promise I'll call you."

"Sorry Shirou," Harumi apologized. "You know all of this already. If you're hungry, help yourself to something in the fridge. But please, DON'T clean the kitchen after putting Ho-chan to bed. Or the bathroom. Or any OTHER room for that matter. Just relax, watch a movie or read a book…"

"I didn't do that much with the bathroom the last time…" Shirou insisted, sounding a little guilty.

"When I got back, you were using a paperclip to pull hair out of the shower drain," Harumi countered. "If you keep doing that, I'll be forced to hire you full time…"

"Okay, I won't do any cleaning," Shirou relented. He sounded rather disappointed Harumi decided. "You'll be back at the usual time?"

Harumi nodded. "Probably around two in the morning," she confirmed. "At least I don't have to get up early on Sundays…"

"You want me to keep Ho-chan up a little later then?"

"Maybe an hour," Harumi decided. "Unless she starts to get cranky."

"I understand."

Harumi looked up when the doorbell rang. "That's my ride…" She walked over and picked up Hotaru. "You'll be good for Uncle Shirou, right Ho-chan?" She kissed her daughter on the forehead and handed her back to Shirou. "Behave yourself sweetie!" she cooed as she waved goodbye.

"Enjoy yourself Harumi…" Shirou replied, waving Hotaru's tiny hand at her mother.

Harumi chuckled mirthlessly. "Thanks. I doubt I will, but I appreciate the thought… Have fun with Ho-chan!"

"Always."

"I was right," Harumi murmured as she walked towards the door.

"Pardon?"

"I DEFINITELY got the short end of the stick tonight…" Shaking her head, Harumi waved goodbye to her daughter and walked out the door to the waiting car.

Carrying Hotaru, who was still holding on to Saber-chan, Shirou went to the door and watched her mother make her way to the gate and pass through it, disappearing from view. "It's just you and me now Ho-chan… What do you want to do first? Read a book or watch a movie?"

Hotaru let out a brief hiccup.

"A movie? Okay, we'll do that…" Adjusting his hold on the little girl, Shirou walked back to the living room and the long entertainment center. "So, what should it be? Barney? Nah, that'll rot your brain… And mine… Disney? Okay, that works." Selecting a title at random, Shirou slipped it into the DVD player and turned on the TV, settling on the couch with Hotaru in his lap. The little girl let out an excited squeal at the sound of the intro and kept her tiny eyes on the screen as Shirou made sure they were both comfortable, and they let the story sweep them away.

XXX

To say that the Fuyuki City Country Club was 'exclusive' was like saying that people in the path of a tsunami experienced humidity; an understatement of titanic proportions. Even with an astronomical membership fee, the waiting list was three years long, and growing, and required the written references of three current members. What was afforded with membership was opulence on a scale fit for the Emperor. (It was rumored that even he had to book a tee-time a month ahead.)

The club had decades of experience in hosting V.I.P. functions, and it's staff went about their duties with a well oiled precision that belied just how difficult these functions really were to host. As usual, the clubhouse was tastefully decorated, servers went around with trays of hors d'oeuveres and chilled champagne as people talked quietly, mingling in small groups. A string quartet played softly in the corner, the low music and light level creating a quiet, intimate ambiance. Guests sipped drinks, nibbled on costly delicacies, and either talked shop or spread the latest gossip.

It was just like all the countless social gatherings that Harumi had been to in the past, and the charm of the event had gotten old rather quickly. 'Half an hour into the first one,' she recalled, taking another miniscule sip of champagne so she would at least look like she was trying to enjoy herself. 'I don't know most of these people here… Even Yoshi only knew a handful of people at these.' Sighing, and wishing that she could just walk away from all of this and tuck Hotaru into bed, Harumi nodded mechanically at a couple who gave her some insincere greeting that everyone tended to use at this type of gathering.

'I'm trapped,' Harumi thought miserably. 'I didn't grow up wealthy, but I got pulled into this when I married Yoshi. No wonder he never told me how prestigious he was when we were dating… Who would want to marry into this…?' Chastising herself for having disrespectful thoughts about her late husband, even if they were rather oblique, Harumi finished her drink and took another from a passing server. 'I could deal with this if he were here, but I'm all alone…'

"You keep having that much fun, you'll end up getting arrested…" a voice drawled out from behind her.

"Keiko!" A smile appeared on Harumi's face as she turned to face one of the few people at these events she was genuinely close to. "I didn't think you'd show up." The two friends exchanged a hug, circumstances be damned. "It's been too long… So, how's everything?"

"Not bad," Harumi's friend replied. "Ryu's started into the 'terrible twos.' Three months early by the way. But he doesn't listen when I try to tell him that…"

Harumi slumped her shoulders in a mocking gesture of depression. "Ho-chan's getting close to that age too… It's a pity, when they start walking, they're even more difficult to handle."

"I know, I know… I didn't even try teaching Ryu to walk but he learned anyway…"

Chuckling, and feeling good for the first time since leaving home, Harumi smiled at her friend's odd sense of humor. Keiko Matsumada was perhaps her only true friend from Yoshi's professional circle. Like Harumi, she'd come from a modest background, but unlike her, she was able to deal with the subtle elitism that the two of them faced. 'I guess it helps that Hiroyuki's still alive…' Over Keiko's left shoulder Harumi could see her friend's husband chatting amiably with a group of other men, laughing at some unheard witticism.

It had been almost two years since her husband had been taken from her, but Harumi still felt a flare of loneliness, if not some envy at her friend. Keiko must have noticed the sadness in her eyes, because she moved in closer and whispered, "Never mind me, how are you holding up?"

Forcing herself to smile a bit, Harumi replied, "I-I'm doing okay, I guess… It does get easier, but there are times that are harder than others."

"How's Ho-chan?"

Harumi brightened. "She's great, she should be walking anytime now…"

"That's good, she and Ryu would make a cute couple…" Keiko commented lightly, before a thoughtful look came over her. "You know, that might not be a bad idea…"

Harumi gave her friend an odd look; sometimes she couldn't tell when Keiko was being serious or not. She figured that most times she didn't know either. "What do you mean?"

"Why don't we engage them to each other?" Keiko replied perfectly straight faced.

Staring at her friend with her mouth agape, Harumi wondered if Keiko had been drinking. Then the hint of a snicker escaped her lips and Harumi couldn't keep herself from joining in, grateful for the release of tension. "This isn't some bad shoujo manga…"

"I know, but the look on your face was priceless…"

"Well, I'm glad you're entertained," Harumi grumped good-naturedly.

Keiko let out a chuckle before taking a discrete look around and moving closer to Harumi. "What about you?" she asked softly. "It's been a while, have you thought about, you know…"

Harumi sighed and took another sip of her champagne, the chilled liquid fizzing as it went down her throat. She took a minute to think about her answer before replying. "I-I guess, but where do I begin…?"

"How about here?"

"No, the only men here who are interested in me see an ATM on legs…" Harumi growled. "I had one guy proposition me after Yoshi's funeral…"

"So that's why you kicked him in the groin." Keiko murmured. "I'd wondered about that…"

"I'm too old and too out of practice."

"You're only early thirties Harumi," Keiko pointed out. "And I'm a year older than you…"

"Yeah, but you're not trying to find a man either…"

Ignoring the reply, Keiko continued. "So, what kind of man are you looking for?"

"How the hell would I know?" Harumi muttered.

Keiko smiled resolutely at her friend, knowing that Harumi's gruff exterior was normal when she was uncomfortable. 'If she'd been all cheerful and enthusiastic, I'd think something was wrong with her…' "Well, go through the obvious things first. He's got to be attractive right? A suave, debonair, James Bond-ish looking guy," Keiko gushed.

"Kei-chan, your drool is overflowing…" Harumi deadpanned. "Frankly, if he isn't ugly enough to bruise fruit, I'll be happy."

"You're setting your standards too low," Keiko pouted.

"I'm being sensible," Harumi replied.

"Fine…" Keiko relented. "I guess I can cancel that order to the modeling agency.." When Harumi gave her a look that promised an abrupt end to the conversation, Keiko decided she wouldn't get any more fun out of the chat, so it was time to get serious. "Okay, so an average looking guy will do. I assume you wouldn't want a gold-digger, right?"

"Damn right…"

"So why not chat up someone here? Most of the guys here are pretty well off," Keiko pointed out.

"So was that guy whose balls I kicked into his throat," Harumi countered. "Just because they've got money doesn't mean they'd mind having more…"

"I don't know how to avoid that," Keiko admitted.

"I guess I'll have to deal with it if it comes up," Harumi sighed. "What next? You look like you can't wait to keep this up."

"You want a nice guy I believe. Or am I wrong?" Keiko added with a smirk. "Are you one of those women who secretly crave a bad boy?"

"No." Harumi's tone DARED her friend to try to argue the point.

Keiko knew better than that. "Sorry Harumi, but you wouldn't believe the number of friends I have who seem to like jerks…"

Harumi let out a disgusted breath. "I know what you mean…"

"I'm relieved to learn we think alike about that at least."

"With Ho-chan, I can't afford to deal with some worthless bastard, I need someone reliable."

"Don't we all," Keiko chuckled. "Good with Ho-chan goes without saying…"

"You need to ask?"

"Not really. Anything else?"

"I don't know, it's not like I've been thinking about this. Did you have a list when you met your husband?"

Keiko smiled. "I did, but I never bothered to check it," she admitted. "We got stuck in an elevator for ten minutes, and when it started moving again, we'd made plans to get a drink together. Things kinda grew from there and, well, you know…" Keiko held up her left hand and moved her wedding band with her thumb.

"You never see it coming," Harumi nodded.

"Just like old age," Keiko added with a wistful sigh.

"Thanks for the reminder," Harumi growled, thinking back to earlier that evening when she'd spent half an hour in front of a mirror with tweezers, looking for grey hairs.

"Hey, if I have to spend half the night in the bathroom using lotions to look younger, I want someone to share the misery."

"Thanks…"

"No problem," Keiko told her friend sweetly. "So, you're looking for a nice guy, an average looking man, who isn't after your money, and is good with Ho-chan…" she summarized. "Now you just have to find him."

"Yeah, and then pry him from the clutches of every other woman in Japan looking for that guy," Harumi muttered. "Where am I supposed to find someone like that?"

Keiko gave her a beatific smile. "What's life without challenges?"

Harumi couldn't help but chuckle, before she moved her left hand to her temple and winced. "Ohhh…"

Instantly serious, Keiko looked closely at her friend. "What's wrong?"

"Just a headache," Harumi replied. "Maybe I had too much champagne…"

"Need to sit down a sec?" Keiko asked, gently taking hold of Harumi's forearm, ready to lead her to a seat in a quieter area.

"No, I think I'm just going to go home," Harumi decided. "I'll just sleep it off."

"You sure you'll be okay?"

Harumi smiled reassuringly. "Nothing a little rest won't fix. Sorry to leave you like this."

Shaking her head, Keiko dismissed her friend's apology. "It's nothing. We'll talk again when you're feeling better."

"Of course. Bring Ryu-chan over one of these days," Harumi insisted.

"I will. You take care."

"You too…" Harumi made her way to the entrance, retrieved her wrap and purse, and made her way to her car.

"Leaving early ma'am?" the driver asked.

"Yes. Take me home please," she instructed, sitting back and looking out the window, a thoughtful looking reflection looking back at her the entire ride.

XXX

Harumi dismissed the driver and watched the long black car pull away for a moment before she walked through the gate and trod down the path to the front door. She was still thinking about what she had talked about with her friend, Keiko's words coming back to her again and again. Entering her home without announcing herself, Harumi quietly made her way to Hotaru's room, opening the door a crack and peering in. She smiled when she saw her daughter sleeping peacefully in her crib, clutching her Saber-chan plushie, looking completely angelic. "Good night Ho-chan," she whispered as she closed the door.

__

'An average looking man…'

Noiselessly making her way through the halls, Harumi slipped into a bathroom, shaking her head when she saw that the mirror looked cleaner than it had when she'd left earlier that evening. Turning the light back off, she headed towards the living room, listening for the sound of a TV, but hearing nothing.

__

'A nice guy, who's thoughtful…'

As she moved through her home, Harumi found herself recalling how empty the house had felt after the death of her husband. Even when she has guests over, it had never felt as lived in since had been just her and her daughter.

__

'A guy who isn't just a gold-digger…'

Again Harumi found herself wondering why she had stayed living in this house. Yes, it was impressive looking, and a sign of status in a land poor country like Japan, but that had never mattered to her. Yoshi had bought the house so the two of them would have plenty of room to be together and start a family, but without him, the house was cavernous, empty. She would never have told him, but all she'd ever really wanted was a place of their own, it needn't have been opulent. Now she was living in a virtual palace, but it was cold comfort on those nights when the loneliness seemed to creep in from the shadows.

__

'Someone who's good with Ho-chan…'

Harumi recalled what Keiko had said to her as she walked into the living room. It had basically been a laundry list, desirable traits in a man that most women looked for. The lights were on but the TV was off, a slow rhythmic breathing the only noise disturbing the silence. 'Where am I supposed to find someone like that?' she'd asked her friend, but truthfully, Harumi did know someone like that.

That someone was presently dozing on the sofa, the baby monitor on the end table near his head.

Harumi stood and watched Shirou sleeping for a while, silently debating what she should do. 'He's so-so… young… I'm what-? Fifteen years older? I'm almost old enough to be his mother…' She let out a sigh, feeling older than she had in a long time 'Of course, if our genders were switched, no one would bat an eyelash at us starting something…'

Harumi let out a derisive snort. 'Starting something? Who am I kidding?' she asked herself. 'He's my babysitter, it's not like we've ever talked about something like that. Even if I was interested in him, he'd rather have someone his own age, right? That girl who helped him, what was her name, Sakura? If he wasn't too dense to realize she liked him, they'd be seeing each other. That's another thing,' Harumi realized, adding another item to the 'CON' list. 'Shirou isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer… He's not stupid, but he'll never be a candidate for Mensa either.' Harumi furrowed her brow as she worked to find more faults in the young man who watched her daughter.

'Oh, if he's such a cement-head, what's that make you?' another part of her psyche taunted. 'You asked him to look after Ho-chan, you practically twisted his arm to get him to do it…'

'That… that's true' Harumi admitted to herself. 'And he is good at it,' she added before it could be pointed out to her. 'He's the closest Ho-chan's had to a father figure since-' She broke off the thought, the memory still too painful even with the passage of time.

'Shirou knows what this feels like,' Harumi realized. 'He's young, but he's had more than his share of tragedy… Losing his parents, his adoptive father, the girl he loved…' Belatedly, she noticed that Shirou wasn't sleeping calmly; he wasn't thrashing about as if in the grips of a nightmare, but he was making noises that sounded sorrowful. 'Is that what I look like?' Harumi wondered. 'I know I used to cry myself to sleep, but even when I moved on a little, what was I like when my subconscious took over?'

'Maybe… Maybe we're both missing a bit of ourselves,' Harumi mused. 'Shirou's done so much for me, even when I nearly took his head off the first time we met. He's never asked for anything in return, why doesn't he think of his own happiness once in a while?' Watching the young man who'd quietly become an important person to her and her daughter, Harumi found some of the reasons why she shouldn't try to get involved with him fading away. 'So he's a few years younger… So what? I've never really cared what others thought of me… Maybe he isn't destined to be a scholar, but he works hard, he's sincere, and he puts everyone else first.' Her lips twisted up in a thin smile as another thought occurred to her. 'When you put it like that, he almost sounds perfect…'

A frown replaced the smile as her natural rationality resurfaced. 'So you'd like to start something with him. You have any reason why he'd automatically say yes?' Harumi didn't have cause to think that; if she looked at it rationally, it seemed kind of far-fetched. Silencing any dissenting thoughts, she started walking towards Shirou's sleeping form. 'I've nothing to lose by trying,' she decided. Harumi sent up silent prayers to everyone listening that she wasn't about to make the gravest error of her life.

Reaching the sofa, Harumi hesitated, not sure what she should do next. After some quiet consideration, she decided to try to not rush this too much. She carefully sat down next to Shirou's hips, but even though she tried not to disturb him, Harumi saw his eyes open before closing due to the bright light.

"H-Harumi?" Shirou murmured, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands as he tried to get used to the brightness. "Is that you?"

"Yes Shirou, it's me…"

Squinting, Shirou looked over at the clock, his eyes going wide when the time registered with him. "Ten-thirty?" he said to himself. "You're back early." A stricken look came over him when a possible reason came to mind. "Is something wrong?" He looked at the baby monitor for a second and nearly knocked his head with Harumi's when he lurched up. "Ho-chan! Has something-"

Harumi placed a restraining hand on Shirou's chest. "No, no, no, nothing's wrong-" she reassured the nearly frantic young man. "I just decided to come back early. Lay back down," she told him, gently pushing on his chest until he acquiesced. "I didn't want to wake you like that…" A quiet voice in the back of her mind was telling her that Shirou's chest had felt firmer though the shirt than she'd expected. "Was Ho-chan any trouble?"

Shirou shook his head and chuckled. "None at all, she fell asleep as soon as the movie ended. I carried her to bed and tried to read a book, but I guess I was a little more tired than I thought."

"Maybe if you hadn't cleaned the bathroom…"

Shirou blushed. "I just cleaned the mirrors… And the faucet… But I got them dirty when I washed my hands," he added.

Now Harumi shook her head. "Don't worry, it's not a big deal. At least you didn't bleach the grout this time…"

"Why'd you come back early?"

"I just wanted to."

"How was your evening then?"

"Surprisingly educational," Harumi replied after a moment's thought.

Shirou's brow furrowed. "Educational?"

"Yes, I learned something tonight. Or rather, a friend pointed something out to me tonight," Harumi clarified.

The clarification didn't help Shirou any. "I don't understand…"

Harumi smiled. "She helped me realize something."

"What?"

"That sometimes what you need most might be right under your nose."

For a second, Shirou rubbed under his own nose, wondering if he had something hanging. Finding nothing, he looked up into Harumi's eyes, now noticing that she'd leaned a little closer to him. "What do you need?" he asked softly.

Harumi used the back of her fingers on her right hand to gently caress Shirou's left cheek, prompting a soft gasp from the young man. "You…" she whispered, leaning down and tenderly kissing Shirou. Harumi kept her lips pressed against his for several seconds; time seemed to stop for the widow, her head swimming as the reality of what she was doing dawned on her. She hadn't kissed a man like this since her husband had died, and part of her was gripped by guilt for betraying his memory so soon.

But most of Harumi's psyche was telling her that she'd been in mourning long enough, that it was time to move on. She tried to convey all the loneliness, sadness and longing in that one brief kiss, worried that she'd committed the greatest error of her life, and silently praying that Shirou would understand her and not think she'd lost her mind. Harumi broke the kiss, took a deep breath to get her wind back, and words poured forth like from a waterfall. She couldn't even meet his eyes, wondering just what had possessed her and made her think that this act of lunacy had been a good idea.

"I-I know I'm older than you Shirou, and I've got a child," she murmured, noticing how warm her cheeks were, and suspecting that she had to resemble a tomato. "B-but who says something couldn't work between us? You're a nice guy, responsible, good with Ho-chan, a good cook, good with cleaning…" 'Oh god, I'm babbling like an idiot,' Harumi realized. "I didn't ask you to look after Ho-chan because I wanted to get closer to you, I just thought you'd be good at it, and you have been, and I never ever thought of it till tonight, and I've been wondering if this was even a good idea since I first thought of it…"

Risking a quick glance upwards, Harumi saw that Shirou hadn't moved to back away, something she'd half expected, but his eyes were open wide as he looked at her. 'It-it's over, I'll never be able to face him again,' Harumi thought miserably. Feeling a desperate need to at least finish her explanation, she kept speaking, hoping she wouldn't humiliate herself by pleading.

"We-we both suffered personal loss," Harumi continued bravely. "I lost my husband, you lost the girl you loved, and-and I've been lonely, and I thought you might be too… But I shouldn't have kissed you, or just assumed you might want to be with me, that was stupid. I only hope you won't think I'm crazy or try to avoid me, I promise I'll never try that again, I'm sorry for being so stupid, and I hope you'll at least keep looking after Ho-chan, because she adores you, and I'll find someone else to get involved with and you won't have to worry about me trying someth- Mmmppphh…"

The kiss that derailed Harumi's rambling was as intense as it was unexpected; one second she'd been pouring out her heart to a young man she was certain she'd wronged, and the next Shirou's lips were pressed against hers, his hands on the side of her head as he opened his mouth and gently extended his tongue, slipping it between her lips. For a moment or two Harumi froze, shocked beyond words at what had happened. Her wide eyes saw Shirou's closed ones as he continued to kiss her without resistance. Part of her compared the kiss to her husband's, while another bit idly wondered how he'd managed to sit up without her noticing.

But after a sudden impulse to push Shirou away, Harumi closed her eyes and let her arms slip around his waist, angling her head and meeting his probing tongue with her own. Sliding her right hand upward, Harumi couldn't help but notice how taut Shirou's back was; he didn't have a bodybuilders physique, but it was clear he was no stranger to physical exertions. The reminder of Shirou's youth sent a spike of self doubt into Harumi. She found herself remembering looking at herself in the bedroom mirror, frowning at the faint wrinkles around her eyes, which would only get more pronounced with time. They few grey hairs she'd found and plucked, and a body softened by motherhood and the relentless march of time.

'God, does he think I'm pathetic?' she worried. 'An old maid, trying to recapture her youth by nailing one? And is that just what's going on? I was sure when I kissed him, but this is-' "Uhhh!" Harumi gasped out I surprise as Shirou broke the kiss and moved his lips to the side of her throat, kissing the exposed skin hungrily. 'He-he certainly- Ohhh, that was nice… -into this…' she thought in a daze.

Harumi heard herself cooing softly as Shirou kissed his way down the length of her neck, reaching the junction of the shoulder, gently nudging her string of pearls aside so he could place his lips on her skin. She'd idly wondered if he was a virgin, and while this could still be beginners luck, Harumi would have been willing to bet this wasn't his first time. Her eyes opened in surprise when she felt Shirou ease his hands to her back; the dress she'd worn to the function was backless and it had a plunging neckline. His fingers danced delicately over her skin, making goose bumps rise in response to the unexpected stimulations.

'He's rather sure of things, isn't he…?' Harumi had no objection to Shirou exploring her with his fingertips, she'd suspected that they'd both be doing that shortly, but he hadn't even asked for permission. It was rather unexpected from the young man, but Harumi had to admit that she was pleasantly surprised by Shirou's boldness. Deciding that she wasn't going to let him initiate everything, Harumi slid her hands to the hem of his shirt, slipping them under the garment and letting her hands map out every nook and cranny of his back. 'He's so warm, and firm.' She had a sudden urge to rip his shirt off, push him onto his stomach and explore every square inch with her tongue.

But it was Shirou who escalated things when he resumed kissing her hungrily, his tongue brusquely slipping between her lips, as he eased the right strap of her dress off of her shoulder. It whispered noiselessly to the crook of her elbow, and with a sudden blush and a draft that hadn't been there moments before, Harumi realized that she was exposed. She tried to pull her hands from under Shirou's shirt, an overwhelming urge to protect her modesty gripping her, but she hesitated when she felt a warm hand gently cup the exposed mound. She was in a daze as Shirou broke off the kiss and pulled his head back a little, looking at the newly exposed skin in open wonderment.

Harumi could tell that Shirou's palms were callused as he tenderly supported her in his hand, slowly moving it so he was caressing her. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes as she felt herself respond to the gentle treatment. She remembered that the last time she'd been with a man Shirou's age, back when she'd been that age as well, he'd gripped her as if he was trying to throw a curveball. It had left her with ugly bruises for days afterward, but in spite of Shirou's youth, and assertiveness, he was still taking care to be gentle.

Harumi felt him lower his head, warm breath washing over her bare skin all the way down, and she let out a hiss when she felt Shirou move closer. Harumi threw her head back and let out a cry; it had felt so good that she'd yanked her right hand out from under his shirt and gripped the back of Shirou's head, his fingers taking hold of his hair. She didn't want him to stop what he was doing, and Harumi leaned forward, eager for more attention. "Ahhh…!"

To her surprise, Shirou detached himself from her chest, and for a panicked second Harumi thought he'd changed his mind. She opened her eyes and was about to ask him what was wrong when he placed a finger over her lips, a pleading look in his eyes. With a look she managed to convey, 'What's the matter?'

"You'll wake Ho-chan," Shirou whispered quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the baby monitor on the table. Harumi saw Shirou holding his breath and she sent out a silent wish that she hadn't disturbed her daughter's sleep. After a few tense, silent seconds, Shirou let out a breath, slumping in relief at the continued silence from the monitor. He turned back to Harumi and removed his finger, blushing and murmuring an apology.

Harumi had an almost irresistible urge to giggle. It made her think of the time she and her boyfriend had gotten frisky on her parents couch, and here she was, almost a decade and a half later repeating things. She settled for a gentle smile, reaching out with her right hand to caress Shirou's cheek, and pulling him towards her with her left, leaning back down and letting him rest on top of her.

After a blurred rush of heat and closeness that she would always be able to recall in vivid detail, Harumi cradled Shirou's head on her chest, breathing heavily as she tried to get her wind back. She kissed the top of Shirou's head, running her fingers through his sweaty hair, her left hand slipping up under his damp shirt and running along his perspiration slicked back. He was a comfortable weight on top of her as his breathing slowed to normal levels. Perhaps ten minutes went by before she finally got herself recomposed, and Harumi leaned her head down, wanting to share another kiss with Shirou, only to discover that he'd fallen asleep.

'What do you know…' she mused good naturedly. 'Typical man, can't even stay awake afterwards.' Harumi regarded his sleeping form for a minute, before she gently tapped his shoulder to wake him. 'I don't think we should spend the night here…'

For the second time that night, Shirou's reaction surprised her. He whimpered softly and tightened his hold on her, going from a gentle embrace to a near death grip. "Don't leave me… Please…" he murmured.

The desperation in his voice took Harumi aback. "S-Shirou, I-I need to go…"

"Don't go! Please…"

"I-I…" Harumi was at a loss for words, not expecting his to act like this.

"S-Saber…"

'Huh? Saber…?' Harumi wondered. 'Why is he talking about Ho-chan's doll?' Taking a closer look at Shirou, something suddenly dawned her. 'He's still asleep…'

"Don't leave me Saber…" There were tears welling up under his closed eyes.

The loneliness and desperation in the young man's voice called out to Harumi; after a seconds hesitation she embraced him protectively, letting out a sigh of relief when he eased off on his grip, making it easier for her to breathe. She glanced over Shirou's shoulder at the baby monitor, relieved that Ho-chan was still sleeping. "It's okay Shirou," she whispered. "I won't go anywhere…" Harumi admitted to herself that she liked being held like this, and she'd missed the presence of a mans warmth next to her. 'I can spend a night with him,' she decided. 'I don't have the heart to wake him.' Giving the top of Shirou's head one last kiss, Harumi laid her own head down, closed her eyes and let the sound of Shirou's quiet breathing lull her to sleep.

XXX

Shirou woke up in an unfamiliar position, and he tried to recall what had happened. 'Did I doze off in the workshop again?' he asked himself, his usual morning grogginess asserting itself. 'No, I was babysitting Ho-chan last night,' he recalled when enough of his brain cells returned to active duty. 'Then Harumi came home and we-' "Dear God!" Shirou snapped awake instantly, opening his eyes and trying to lurch up, only to find that Harumi had him gripped securely by the shoulders.

"Good morning Shirou," Harumi smiled up at him. "Are you always this active in the morning?"

"H-Harumi…?"

"I'm glad you remembered my name," she deadpanned.

Shirou started down at the widow in disbelief, blushing as he recalled what he'd done the night before. He was ready to stammer an apology when another sound pierced the silence; through the baby monitor the disembodied sound of Hotaru crying made the both of them look at the plastic receiver. Glancing back at Harumi, Shirou awkwardly pushed himself up from between her legs, his nose wrinkling as the stale odor of sweat and sex registered, his flaccid prick sticky and itchy. He noticed Harumi sitting up and pushing the straps of her ruined dress back up her shoulders. "I should go," he murmured softly. "I'll let you take care of Ho-chan-"

"I can't let you go looking - and smelling- like that, Shirou," Harumi interrupted. "I'm going to take a bath with Ho-chan, but you can use one of the other bathrooms. You know where they are, you've cleaned them more than once," she reminded him. "Leave your clothes in the hall and I'll wash them. I'll leave you something to wear. Come to the kitchen when you're done, we'll have breakfast."

"But Harumi-"

"Shirou, you wouldn't take 'no' for an answer when you offered to carry my bags that time, and now it's my turn." Without giving him a chance to protest, Harumi walked out of the living room towards her daughter's room, leaving a confused young man in her wake.

Shirou absently zipped himself back up, frowning at how dirty he felt. 'I could use a bath,' he admitted, but he still felt uncomfortable accepting Harumi's hospitality. 'Don't want to hurt her feelings… I'll apologize after I'm presentable.' Making his way to a bathroom, Shirou closed the door behind him and stripped out of his clothes, remembering the last time he'd gotten this sweaty. 'I haven't smelled like this since I sparred with Saber,' he recalled. 'Or the time we-' Shirou cut the thought off abruptly, not wanting to compare the two women. Folding up his clothes he left them in a neat pile outside the door before he stepped into the shower and let the warm water sluice off the sweat and the smell.

After fifteen minutes and a liberal application of soap and shampoo, Shirou finally felt clean enough and he toweled off, using his hand to comb his hair. Wiping the fog off of the mirror and looking at his reflection, Shirou nodded at himself, deciding that he wasn't going to look any better under the circumstances. Making sure that his towel was wrapped securely around his waist, he opened the door, reached outside without looking and took hold of what Harumi had left for him. Closing the door Shirou looked at the garment and almost dropped it in surprise.

It was a pink robe.

It was a pink satin robe.

It was a pink satin robe with pink fur on the collar and at the ends of the sleeves.

Shirou figured that Harumi could have left him something that was even MORE feminine, but he wasn't sure that was possible. He could feel his testosterone levels dropping just by looking at it. 'I'm supposed to wear THIS!?' But after a brief thought of balking, Shirou relented. 'Well, not like I have much choice.' Slipping into the garment, and pointedly ignoring the part of him that told him that it felt nice, Shirou made his way to the kitchen and found Harumi in a similar robe feeding Ho-chan.

"Good morning Shirou," she called out. "It's… nice to… see you…" Harumi seemed to have some difficulty staying composed. Coughing a few times, she let out a breath and continued. "W-would you like… some… tea…?" She was starting to snicker, but she gamely tried to keep speaking. "Some b-breakfast…?" She finally gave up and started laughing, tears in her eyes as Shirou wished the earth would open up and swallow him. After a minute, Harumi regained her composure. "I'm sorry Shirou, that was all I had…"

"I figured that…" Feeling about six inches tall, Shirou walked to the table and sat down, taking a moment to figure out exactly how to proceed. Letting out a deep breath, he began. "Harumi, I-I'm sorry for what I did las-"

"Stop!" Harumi ordered, giving Shirou a hard look that made him recoil in surprise. "Not. Another. Word. Understand?"

Afraid to speak, Shirou just nodded.

"Don't you DARE apologize for what happened, do you hear me?" she warned. "Last night happened because -I- wanted it to happen. I didn't PLAN on it, but I didn't want you to stop either. If I hadn't been interested, I'd have broken your balls," Harumi told him matter-of-factly.

Shirou knew she wasn't kidding. "Okay, but I think I got a little carried away," he murmured. "If I hadn't made a move-"

"I kissed you first Shirou," Harumi reminded him. "I started it. I was surprised that you kissed back that intensely, but I didn't object. I didn't even think it could be that good again…"

"You liked it?" Shirou asked timidly.

"Yes, very much," Harumi replied with a small smile. "And you have nothing to apologize or feel guilty for."

"But I don't think I'm good enough for you," Shirou told her softly. "You're an important person, I'm just… an ordinary guy," he finished.

"So what's wrong with that?"

"There have to be some better guys than me out there."

"There are richer ones," Harumi assured him instantly. "Plenty of them have better pedigrees and breeding, and they had the best life could offer. But honestly, I think you're a better person than any of them…"

"But I haven't even finished high school."

Harumi gave him a smirk. "If our genders were reversed, I'd be getting praised for finding such a young companion. Why can't it work the other way?" She let him ponder that for a few moments as she returned her attention to Hotaru, using a spoon to catch some food that was running down her chin.

"How do you know I'm any good?" Shirou asked after a long silence, thinking about what he'd done in the Fifth Holy Grail War.

Harumi ignored the question. "Would you like to feed Ho-chan Shirou?" she asked, offering him the spoon.

"Uh, sure…" Shirou slid his chair over and took the spoon and began feeding Harumi's daughter, peach yogurt if he wasn't mistaken, idly wondering why she'd avoided the question. He smiled good naturedly as Hotaru didn't seem to want to eat breakfast, turning her head to avoid the spoon. "Say 'ahh!' Ho-chan," he told her, opening his mouth and sticking out his tongue. She let out a delighted squeal and mimicked the gesture, allowing him to slip the spoon into her open mouth. "There, that's good, isn't it Ho-chan?" While she appeared almost annoyed at the trickery, she opened to accept another mouthful once she'd swallowed.

"That's how."

"Huh?"

"Ho-chan adores you Shirou. And that counts for a lot…"

"But I'm just a sitter."

"She sees you as a father figure…"

"Excuse me?" a shocked Shirou whispered.

"I'm sure I heard her call you 'tou-san' when you weren't here. You're the closest she's had to a father since Yoshi died."

"I like her, she's adorable, but me? A dad?" Shirou wondered. "I-I don't know if I'm ready for that…"

"Shirou, we've both been through so much, and I think we're both lonely. Couldn't… couldn't we try to change that? For both of us?"

"What would your friends think of me?" he murmured, finding himself considering the idea, but not sure he was ready for it.

Harumi let out a derisive snort. "If you mean most of the people I was with last night? They'd hit the ceiling. But the few people I honestly care about, and whose opinions I give a damn about, well, I think they'd like you." A faint smile turned up the corners of her mouth. "Keiko might even ask if you had any friends. But that would be just to tease her husband."

Shirou found himself blushing at that. Putting on a more serious expression, he tentatively slid his hand forward and rested it on Harumi's giving it a gentle squeeze, a warm feeling coming over him when she returned the gesture. "We could always try, just to see what happens…"

"I'd like that," Harumi whispered, gazing into Shirou's eyes. "Of course, it may not work out. You might end up being a real slob at home, and forget to put the seat back down, and that would drive me up the wall."

"And you're probably a blanket thief; you take all the covers and then have the nerve to say you were too hot. Or you drink from the carton, not bothering to use a glass…" Shirou countered.

"We'll probably end up at each others throats," Harumi agreed, moving her chair next to his so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"Probably," Shirou nodded in agreement, moving his hand so his fingers intertwined with Harumi's.

There was a comfortable silence as Shirou continued to feed Ho-chan. Countless minute passed before Harumi spoke again. "You know, I think I've figured out why I like you Shirou."

"Oh?"

"You're nothing like Yoshi was. Well, not completely," Harumi clarified. "You're both kind, but you have different personalities. For example, he wouldn't have been caught dead in that robe."

"Gee, I wonder why…" Shirou remarked dryly.

"Seriously, your personalities are like night and day… You don't even look like him. And I think that's what matters."

"Matters?"

"You're not Yoshi Mk II," Harumi explained. "I'm not going after a surrogate."

'And you're not like Saber either,' Shirou replied silently. He continued to feed Hotaru as he let himself get comfortable in Harumi's embrace. When the yogurt was gone, he let her rest calmly in her highchair, knowing he should probably pick her up and wipe her face, but not wanting to end the pleasant moment.

"You got any plans for the day Shirou?" Harumi asked him out of the blue.

Shirou quickly went over a mental 'to-do' list. "I was going to clean up a little around the house today. Why?"

"You want to hang out with me and Ho-chan today? Maybe go for a walk?

"I'd like that."

"Okay. Once your clothes are out of the dryer, would you like to take a stroll?"

"Yes."

Harumi affectionately mussed his hair as she stood up. "I'll let you get your own clothes, I'll get us ready…" She picked up her daughter and walked out of the kitchen. Shirou stood up and put on some water for tea, and began looking for ingredients for breakfast for Harumi and him.

XXX

Later that morning the three of them were in the park, Harumi pushing Hotaru in a stroller while Shirou walked beside her. The morning was turning into a picture perfect day, until they passed two women sitting on a bench.

"It's nice to see a young man who isn't afraid to walk with his mother," one of the women remarked, nodding sagely.

Shirou noticed Harumi's knuckles going white while gripping the stroller. "What's wrong?"

That WOMAN said I looked like your mother," Harumi seethed. "I can't believe I look that old…"

Worried that Harumi would make a scene, especially since he could practically see the steam coming out of her ears, Shirou decided to try to calm her down. Reaching up, he took hold of her chin and before she could react he leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips, letting his tongue slip into her mouth. The kiss was long and languid, and when Shirou finally broke it off, Harumi looked a little dazed. "Did that help?"

"Huh?"

"Those two," he indicated the startled looking pair on the bench with his head, "can't think I'm your son now…"

"You're right," Harumi replied, still looking a little out of it. "I'd HOPE you wouldn't kiss your mother like that… But feel free to do that again," she added, a pleased smile appearing on her face.

"Now?"

Harumi shook her head. "Why give them a heart attack?"

Shirou and Harumi kept walking, now holding each others hands as they moved and giving occasional squeezes. They made one brief stop when Ho-chan's diaper needed to be changed, Harumi taking her daughter into the washroom to do it, Shirou waiting patiently outside with the stroller. As the sun rose higher in the sky, they bought shaved ice to try to stay cool, sharing theirs and letting Hotaru have a little as well. When they were done Harumi tossed the remains in the trash and then gave Shirou a thoughtful look. "Shirou, would you mind showing me where you live?"

"My home?"

"Yes, I'd like to see it. See where you grew up."

"Okay. It's only mine because my dad left it to me."

"You'd mentioned that," Harumi replied. "You've lived alone ever since?"

"Mostly," Shirou answered. "I'd have guests occasionally." He didn't bother trying to explain the unbelievable week of the Grail War.

"Must have been lonely."

"…sometimes it was…" Shirou murmured. He'd always had friends like Issei, Ayako, Sakura, and Taiga, but there were times the house had felt so empty. "If you're sure, it isn't as nice as yours."

"Please Shirou, I'd like to see it."

"Let's go." The trio made their way out of the park, Shirou taking a turn pushing Hotaru while Harumi held onto his arm. It was an entirely pleasant experience for the young man, and he couldn't help but feel like it was actually his own family. He was so caught up in the heartwarming revelation that it didn't even register with him when a young woman with blonde hair crossed his path, he simply keep on walking. After a leisurely stroll, the three of them stood outside the gate. "We're here…"

Harumi looked left and right, getting an idea of the sheer size of the property. "You live here?" When Shirou nodded, she continued. "It's HUGE… the lot has to be bigger than my own…"

"You have the nicer home," Shirou countered, opening the gate and leading her into the courtyard.

"I don't know about that," Harumi replied, getting a good look at the Emiya residence. "I've always liked the more traditional type of home."

"Really?"

"Yoshi bought our home and made most of the decorating choices. Of course, we hadn't even met at that point. I would have wanted to get a place like yours Shirou."

"Would you like to come in for tea?"

"Of course."

"I don't have Earl Grey. I can go get some if you-"

Harumi shook her head. "Whatever you have is fine. You don't have to go to any trouble."

"You're very understanding."

"You're too eager to please others."

"Is that a bad thing?"

Harumi's face was wreathed by a beatific smile. "Well, I didn't mind last night…" She chuckled when Shirou blushed. "You're cute when you're flustered."

Shirou couldn't think of how to reply so he simply led Harumi to the door, opening it for her and allowing her into his home. Harumi lifted Hotaru from the stroller and carried her in, kicking off her shoes and stepping into a pair of guest slippers. She glanced down the hallway. "Very elegant Shirou. Perfectly understated… And not surprisingly, spotless…"

"Thank you." Shirou lead them to the traditional sit down dining room, before moving on to the kitchen to boil some water and prepare tea. The water seemed to take forever to reach the proper temperature, finally boiling after what felt like an eternity. Filling a thermal carafe , placing it, mugs and tea leaves on a tray, adding a plate of crackers after a moments consideration, Shirou picked up the laden tray and made his way back to the dining room. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No problem Shirou, don't worry about it." Harumi was keeping a careful eye on her daughter as she walked carefully around the table, using it to occasionally steady herself. She looked up and saw Shirou in the doorway. Letting out a delighted squeal and toddling over to him and embracing his leg.

"Uh, Harumi? A little help?" Shirou asked, not wanting t drop the tray on the little girl.

"Come here Ho-chan," Harumi called out, her arms open. Her daughter gave Shirou's legs a final squeeze before letting go and zipping over to her mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Told you…"

"Excuse me?" Shirou asked, making his way to the table and setting down the platter, filling the mugs with hot water and letting the tea steep.

"Ho-chan adores you," Harumi told him. "And that means a lot to me…"

"Is that the only reason…?" Shirou wondered, handing Harumi her tea.

Harumi shook her head. "No, like I said last night, I've come to like you, and frankly, I'm tired of being alone."

Shirou took a sip of tea, a contemplative look on his face. "I… I guess I am too," he murmured. "But I still don't think I'm good enough for you."

Scoffing, Harumi dismissed his concerns almost cavalierly. "I don't care what anyone else thinks about you, I only care about you. You're the best man I've known in years, Shirou. And you're the first man in a long time that didn't just see me as an ATM in high heels."

"Why would anyone think that?"

Harumi cocked her head and gave Shirou an odd look. "You're either very sweet, or very naïve… I'll pretend it's the first one."

"What-"

"Don't ask Shirou, don't ask…" Harumi picked up a cracker and began nibbling on it, breaking off small pieces and giving them to her daughter. After a few minutes of silence, both of them sipping their tea, Harumi spoke up again. "I'd like to try starting something with you Shirou. Do you?"

After a few seconds hesitation, during which Harumi was holding her breath, Shirou gave an answer. "Yes…"

Harumi smiled and slid her hand across the table heading for his. Shirou reciprocated and the two of them intertwined their fingers, each feeling better than they had in some time.

"So, what happens now?" Shirou wondered.

"The usual things," Harumi replied. "We spend time together, go on dates, that sort of thing."

"Dates…" Shirou rolled that word around on his tongue. I'd like that… But where? The movies?"

Harumi gave Shirou's hand an affectionate squeeze and leaned forward as if about to share a great secret.

"Shirou, have you ever been to Hawaii…?"

XXX

Shirou decided that being involved with an independently wealthy woman could make things interesting. Watching the sun set from the balcony of a penthouse suite on Oahu was something he'd never expected to be able to do. There were other things he remembered from that trip; watching Ho-chan build a sandcastle on the black sand beach, trying his hand at surfing only to wipe out spectacularly, much to Harumi's amusement. The way she'd looked in that white bikini she'd worn, and the many admiring looks it attracted, or the slinky gold outfit she'd chosen to wear when they went out for a candlelit dinner. And what had happened after that. It had taken her far less time to get him out of that suit than he had needed to put it on.

After returning to Japan, Shirou admitted to Harumi that he'd been a little uncomfortable with her spending that much on him. She'd nodded in understanding, telling him she'd felt the same way after she'd learned how wealthy Yoshi had been. To put Shirou at ease, they did more conventional dating activities for a while, albeit at a higher class than was the norm.

They still stayed in and spent time with Hotaru, watching movies with her, and cuddling on the couch with DVD's after putting her to bed. She had especially enjoyed the first time she spent a night at Shirou's home. Like all children, to Hotaru long hallways were an invitation to run, and she wore herself out before Shirou carried her to bed.

Harumi's friend Keiko ended up liking him a lot, and she once told him that she hadn't seen her friend this happy in a while. The acquaintances that Harumi saw only occasionally either learned to tolerate Shirou or ended up being excluded from her life.

When Rin returned from England for another visit, she and Shirou did have dinner together, but it went no farther than that, and the Tohsaka heir ended up learning a lesson about missed chances.

To no one's surprise, Shirou and Harumi ended up moving in together; the fact that she moved in with him did raise a few eyebrows however. When Shirou asked why she wanted to leave her home, she'd told him that it held too many memories of her late husband, and she wanted a chance to start fresh. Holding her close on the futon, Shirou understood what she meant about the presences of others lingering.

They spent the better part of a year living under the same roof, their relationship enjoyable, but needing a last little push for the two of them to take the final step. The push came one night, when Harumi was in Shirou's embrace, listening to his heartbeat as he nuzzled her hair. Lifting her head and looking into his eyes, she asked him, "Shirou, have you ever thought about the two of us having a child together…?"

Shirou let out a breath. "I haven't thought about it much, but I wouldn't mind. When were you thinking about having one?"

"A little over eight months…"

Shirou's eyes went wide. "Y-you mean it? You are?"

Harumi simply nodded.

Not being able to put his thoughts into word, Shirou did the first thing that came to mind; lifting Harumi's chin he leaned his forward and kissed her.

Harumi and Shirou got married a month later. She finally served him blowfish on their wedding night. After the meal, he forgot all about any possible risks of eating it.

Seven months later Hotaru gained a baby brother, Takeya.

End

Okay, that's all.

So why write this? Well, I'd written a few stories putting Shirou with other characters, and I wanted to see if I could try something original. And as far as I know, there are few afterwards stories that don't simply match him up with Rin, Saber, Sakura, etc, and I didn't want to use that cliché.

If you liked it, let me know.

If you hated it, well, let me know as well…

Special thanks to Random1377 and Fatuous One for pre-reading this. All errors in grammar, characterization, fact, and common sense are mine, not theirs…

If you've read this far, then please leave a review.


End file.
